Healing Scars
by Roaming Tigress
Summary: What if Scar survived the attack of the hyenas? What if the 1994 version of Scar (named Taka here), met up with the 2019 version of Scar (who gets the Scar name) to form a coalition, to survive and work together to live like thieves for survival and fun? Fluffy slash. AU.
1. Sometimes, I Flirt With Myself

**Sometimes, I Flirt With Myself**  
by Roaming Tigress

(I came up with a little one-shot complete fluff story (though I enjoyed working on this piece I have been considering doing a little series) a little moment after I saw 2019's TLK remake. I wanted to do something with Scar, but nothing that 1,000 others have tried. Nothing's wrong with a little self love ;) I haven't written fanfic in some time (about a year ago), so this was a fun little piece to work on.)

In the very back of the cavern, Scar grunted as he turned to lick the wound from his right hip - one of many from his near death encounter with the hyenas. His wounds seemed to have oozed open from every movement, no matter how careful he was. The thin-maned lion's yellow eyes flashed as he let out a growl of both frustration and pain. He would have to remain here for some time, in the event the hyenas would come back from him and should the pride discover that he was still alive, he would be no match for them. His battle scarred coat was even more scarred up, a reminder of all that he had done the pride, and for his betrayal to the hyenas, what should have been his demise.

Truthfully Scar didn't know how he survived. One moment he was swatting them as they came up to them, sinking his teeth and claws into several as he fought valiantly, and then he passed out as their bodies swarmed over him like ants on a picnic. Perhaps some higher figure was looking out for him, but he cynically dismissed this. Hunger gnawed at his stomach and he glared balefully at the carcass of the Kudu calf in which he had stolen from a leopard late last night, the sheer effort of bringing it down from the lower branch in his condition still had exhausted him; the leopard in which he took the meal from was rather careless in his carcass placement, not only by not placing it higher up but leaving a tempting leg dangling above within reaching distance. Gnawed to near bits, Scar had no strength to bring down prey and had to live like a thief, like the hyenas he once had as allies.

"Damn it all . . . " He growled to himself, stiffly getting up and padding to the carcass. Each movement was painful, awkward, but his hunger drove him on.

As Scar neared the carcass, he detected an bitter odor that made him growl again, and as he came it it, he realized the flesh had been devoured from the haunches, a considerable amount at that. Whatever fed from the kill was something that was bold; surely whoever or whatever was feeding from it had managed to sneak in when he was asleep. It was risky even then to steal from a sleeping lion.

The lion leaned a stiff neck down to sniff at his prize, his brain, rattled from the events of some nights before, spending a moment to detect what it could come from. It didn't smell like the lionesses, or of Simba, or of jackals or wild dogs. It was a bitter scent, smelling of fire and charred wood but he carefully laid down again to feed. Normally it was foolish to feed from a kill that had smelled unusual; he heard something about a creature called a "human" that would sometimes poison a kill, but his hunger, his state of being, wasn't enabling him to think properly. Perhaps it was one of the hyenas, one that survived the fires - and he had seen some with their coats ablaze but seemingly unaffected by it as they sought him as a meal. Yet this very idea that a hyena could have been at his carcass made him wary and his ears swiveled in each direction, his eyes wide, jumpy in disposition. The very structure of this cave that he cave that he came upon that terrible night, crawling his way in, was suitable to hide him, but with no back entrance, was a trap.

Outside the cave, his thief was approaching.

The longer Scar fed, the more his mind wandered, for the stronger the scent became. His tail swooshed defensively and he laid himself close to the ground, growling as he hurried his feeding, trying to eat as much as possible. He was grudgingly willing to sacrifice his meal should it be a hyena, lest he get into a fight that he knew he wouldn't be able to win in his condition.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" Scar roared, paranoia setting in as that scent grew stronger with each minute.

Approaching the mouth of the cave was another male lion; limping painfully, alternatively limping on each of his legs, not wanting to put weight on any leg but desperate to move forward. There were wounds covering his reddish coat, his black mane tattered and matted. At one point this lion spent much of his time preening over this mane, even though it was never particularly impressive, unlike that of his older brother whom he had done away with. Much like the lion in the cave, there was a vertical scar over his left eye, which were a brilliant green in hue.

This, was also a Scar. He paused when he heard the voice demand once again to show himself. And just like the other lion, he was in no position to fight. His body language was cautious as he ventured in, hungry driving him onwards, into the cave.

"It was YOU!" The tawny Scar roared, pitching himself at this reddish, scrawny, mangy looking creature, who had the audacity of going into his lair. This movement brought on pain, intense pain but it was enough to frighten the other lion to stumble backwards, loosing his footing. Perhaps he wouldn't need to give up his stolen meal after all, perhaps this thief could be scared off, like the vultures and the jackals in which he had taken food from before from.

"I-I . . ." Was all the green-eyed Scar could come up with as he tried to get to his feet, the other lion moved towards him as he staggered back. He spent a moment trying to regain his composure, though, as he eyed this other lion. Although his coat was of a duller colour, he was marked for just like him, and this intrigued him. It would have been wise to have moved out from the cave, but he found himself

"Common thief . . ." The yellow eyed Scar snarled, hypocritically. When the other lion didn't back off, he letting out a short, hissed out roar, swiping a paw out at him but snarling again when he missed his target, which ducked away out of reach.

"Must us lions in times of desperation resort to violence?" The green eyed lion asked, suavely at that, as he saw that the Kudu calf, in which he brazenly fed from when the other lion was was asleep, still had some meat left on its bones. Until now though he never had a good look at this lion when he made his first trip into the cave, all that he knew was that he had food for the taking; the scent drawing him in; in his mauled condition, he too had to resort to stealing food. When the Pridelanders made their kills, he would keep a low profile, and only venture out when they left the remains. So far, he had gone about doing this, unseen.

The tawny Scar answered coldly, his teeth bared, ready to use whatever strength he had left to tear into the throat of this other lion. How dare he steal from him, how dare he walk into his cave when he was asleep, and fill HIS belly with his meat. "I would say, yes. Each lion for his or her own self."

"Us lions are a social creatures, we have to look each other." Scar murmured, and in a gesture of both submission - not willing nor able to fight for the rest of his feast in his condition - and persuasion, he rubbed his head underneath the chin of this other lion, who reeked of ashen and blood, just as he did, and of hyena. Perhaps this lion could provide him with more meals. Perhaps, just perhaps, he could be king again. This green eyed lion had been long been a loner, voluntarily and involuntarily . . . But maybe, just maybe, he could also gain something he hadn't had in a long time - a friend.

"We could benefit from cooperation, we could form a coalition, form a new pride." Scar was now purring, well, as best as lions could purr, and slunk down and weaved himself through the front legs of this other Scar, who's rage was building up within. It was a bold gesture, knowing that he could get himself finished off right here and there. He pushed himself up against the other lion's chest, letting out that purring again, one front paw lifted off the cave floor.

"Taka was my birth name, but you can call me Scar." Scar murmured, his incessant appeasement-flirting behavior continuing with another nuzzle of his head, undoubtedly transferring fleas from his own hyena encounter onto this other disheveled lion, who was trying to move away from him to continue his meal. In a sassy gesture, with a smirk, the red coated lion whisked his tail against him, leaning against the other lion, causing the other lion to stagger slightly from his weak state.

"Taka. I'll call you Taka." The yellow eyed lion growled as he wheeled away from him, by now thinking he was a magnet to this strange lion, who had flopped onto his back like a trying to appease an angry parent.

"Scar." The green eyed lion pouted, looking up at the other He was rather proud of himself for being so persuasive, but within felt scared . . . Of being alone, in such a time when he was vulnerable, thinking at any time Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, and survivors would be looking for him. The Pridelanders surely would kill him if he showed himself to them. He had to start anew.

"It's my preferred name," he further plead. "Taka means dirt, trash, not a decent name. But how rude of me. What may I call you?" He asked, as if the other lion had decided to form a coalition with him.

The other lion snorted, his eyes narrowed as he stared down at this . . . Flirting lion, his ears pinned back in annoyance. He leaned over intimidatingly, hoping for this "Taka" to back off . . . And out of this cave. However, it seemed the more annoyed he got with him, the more this other lion wouldn't leave him be, and indeed he stayed on his back at his feet , his pawing turning to a kneading motion to his thinly maned chest. 'Incessant little shit, isn't he?'

"I'm . . . Scar." He twisted his face into a growl.

Oh how the tawny Scar wanted to tear this strange lion to pieces, especially as they shared their same name! In the position he was in, it would take a single bite, surely he had energy for that. Perhaps he could even get two meals now. But perhaps . . . Perhaps this other Scar was right. A lone male lion only did so well on their own for so long and as it stood, he wasn't exactly having an easy time at it, yet still, he yellow eyed lion, living in exile, hated that this effeminate Scar was right. Inwardly, he knew though would be good to do somethin other than wait in the shadows, getting only scraps.

"I suppose . . . " He sighed, resting on his side next to the other Scar, spending a moment to lick a paw that was suffering from a burn injury, before he took that paw and placed it on the other lion's chest. He rolled his eyes as it elicited that odd purr from the black maned one. 'Sigh. Need to get him a lioness or I'll be the object of his affection for the rest of my life. Why me, with the strange one . . . Attracted to me? Why not some beautiful lioness with a near white cream coat, blue eyes instead? That would be nice, that would be normal. Maybe this is punishment from the powers that be. Oh, it has to be!'

"We could form a coalition." And for the first time, the green eyed Scar saw a smile, a hint of one anyways, from him.

"Might want to tone down on the cuddling. Lionesses might get a jealous." He added with a wink.


	2. Some Will Have to Live With The Scars

(Yes I realize that lions don't really purr; but neither do they talk. Creative licensing, folks ;))  
**  
Some Will Have to Live With the Scars**  
by Roaming Tigress

"If you would believe it, this mane was quite something in its day." The tawny lion scratched awkwardly at a matted tuft of mane that stubbornly held tight, wincing when this brought pain upon his right leg. Light from the impeding sun caused him to look away. It seemed he hadn't stepped out in daylight in what seemed to be years; only daring to venture out at night.

Taka's ears perked - and the tawny lion would not let up on calling him Taka, so it was Taka that would stay - as he glanced over him, visualing a lush mane. He nodded.

"Mine as well - "

Scar scoffed that, cutting him off. "Nonsense. It stopped sometime before reaching adulthood."

Now those words made Taka feel a bit peppery. He was fond of his mane; it never grew as thick as Muffs's but when it hadn't been tattered to pieces it was shiny, sleek, much like his physical form; it suited him, and he regularly preened it. He rubbed a paw over it, pouting as he felt its roughness. "It was. It was shiny as a raven."

"And twice as bothersome. . . " Scar growled under his breath, resuming feeding upon the Sable Antelope calf carcass. He watched in the corner of his eyes as the other lion moved up from behind him, and he switched his tail in annoyance and let out a warning growl. He was possessive of this kill, of which he had stolen from a another leopard, this a young cat who fled even before she had the chance to put it up in a tree, not taking a chance with even a wounded lion.

"And just like a raven, picking up as many scraps as you can." There was a growl under his breath as he spoke, slowly crunching away at a femur, his eyes fixed on Taka as he saw his emaciated form pause at his hip.

"Can't say I judge you for it, as you know, I'm in the same predicament. Always has been. I - " His words were cut off when he felt the rough tongue of Taka's slip over a wound on his right hip that seemed to bleed at the slightest movement and his whipped his figure around, painful as it was, to take a swipe at Taka. He caught him, underneath his nose.

Taka winced from the wound, another one to the collection, he thought. Still, he persisted, and after licking off the blood he bent down his head again to lick Scar's wound again.

"Are you my coalition partner or are you my mother?" Scar demanded a dangerous tone to his voice, nearly biting the other lion in the face as he wheeled his head around.

"I do not need to have my wounds licked by another."

It took only a moment for Taka to settle from being startled, and he even felt a bit sassy again. "If I didn't, you'd smell even worse than you already do. "

Scar scowled at this, digging his claws into the cave flooring. A bat upwards flitted about on the ceiling. "I do not smell." He lied. "Not anymore than you do, and you smell like death."

Taka gasped, stiffeningly scratching a flea behind his ear, out of Scar's vision. "I do not!"

"You do."

The cave in which the scarred exiles resided in smelled all at once, a combination of ashes, blood, burned wood and fur and unmistakable odor of hyena. It was such a bitter, putrid combination. The pain from their wounds had put aside their basic hygiene beyond the simplest of paw licking; lions, like all cats, tended to be fastidiously clean. The scent of a hyena would attract the attention of other lions and ones who had no desire to join up with these outlaws of the land, but rather, put them out of commission forever. And the scent of blood would attract the hyenas.

Something had to be done, and Taka, just as boldly as he had done to butter Scar up, had decided to take the initiative. "Why must you resist my attempts to restore that mane to its former glory?"

Scar scoffed again. "It would take more than a few licks to grow my mane back. Maybe if I don't get into another. . . Fight." He shut his amber eyes for a moment. He rarely won a fight, something the other Scar would know all too well about as well.

"I. . . Understand."

Taka frowned for a moment, his emerald eyes sympathetic. He resumed licking the wound again for a moment, scraping out dirt and ash from the wound, carefully. With surprising tenderness given his reputation, he slowly moved his was up slowly to his spine. He felt the reverberation of Scar's growling and responded with that low, purring sound as he continued. Lions truly couldn't purr like a small cat, but it was something more sounding like a growl, but softer, almost a sound telling Scar that his intentions meant no harm, that he wanted to. . . Comfort.

Scar shut his eyes tight again as he felt his lounge move over a spot on his shoulder in which bone was exposed, his growl raising. It was bright pink now, dirt and ash removed from it from the grooming. At once, he felt the pain increasing with every lick, but he resisted lashing out at Taka, less out of concern for his coalition partner's well-being and he was certain he could bite him rght in half across that narrow waist, but rather out of self-preservation. His lashing out at Taka for licking at his hip had caused that very shoulder injury to start bleeding again.

"What. . . What is about me that. . .You are drawn to?" Scar didn't ask; he demanded.

Taka paused, and could have blushed, had the reddish, scarred fur not cover his scarred cheek. For a rare moment, he couldn't find the words to be sassy, to be suave.

"Well?"

Beyond being startled that he found the cave's inhabitants awake as he went for his meal, Taka had felt confident towards this lion since he had met him. He felt confident to flirt with him, to show just the right amount of submissive flirtation and persuasion to get what he wanted. Now, he felt like he was put on the spot and a little nervous, about possibly how the other lion would react even if he was as in bad shape as he was. Cunning as he might, he was still a coward.

"Think of it as being two halves of the same lion." Taka nearly purred out, finding that tone of voice again, and he slipped his tongue over the other's mane, causing him to wince and in some spots a low, rumbling growl of warning.

Scar narrowed his eyes as he considered, remembering the discussion they had the night as they had their first foray, a short distance from their cave. Their wounds made the walk painful but food wasn't going to come to them. They took the kill from the leopard in this outing, their first theft together. Along the way they casually discussed their pride takeovers after murdering their brothers; both Mufasasas. Both stampedes. Both should have died of what they had gone through. Whilst they were on their mission to stock on up on food, they had stopped by Rafiki's tree to swipe some items to fight the infections from their battle wounds. Scar grudgingly felt Taka was an intelligent lion, much as he hated to admit it.

"It is like we came from two universes. Something, somewhere, a higher power did this to us." Scar scowled. "To punish us. To mess with us." He dug his claws into the cave floor again, his breath hitching as he accidentally opened up a burn injury doing so.

"A lion never shows his or her belly to another unless he trusts him or her not to harm him," Taka purred, nuzzling his face against Scar's. It was a very bold statement, one that made Scar growl within his chest.

Another scoff came out of Scar, moving his head away from the nuzzle. He still wasn't comfortable with this; he was on board with the idea of a coalition with this Taka, this Scar, but this flirting behaviour, towards another male. . . Seemed so unnatural to him and it still disgusted him. He hoped to find a pair of rogue lionesses, one for them both. Surely that'd keep Taka occupied.

"Or unless you're a female in heat!" Scar almost laughed, his mind wandering as he remembered Sararbi, a young Sara bi, rolling on the ground and then curled his lip. Oh, why couldn't it be Sarabi who was rubbing her body up against his, why couldn't it be Sarabi who rolled at her feet, why couldn't it be Sarabi licking his wounds, instead of this unsightly, mangy, scrawny fleabag excuse for a lion who shared his name?

"I could have bitten you in half as you laid there. One bite through that skinny waist of yours, and it would be all over."

That low rumbling purring sound was heard again as Taka groomed behind his even more tattered ear. In his twisted mind, this brutal wording fuelled his affections for him.

"I am fond of your brutality. . . " He murmured, plucking away matts from his mane, causing him to wince. "Imagine us, together, roaming the lands far and near, stealing from others kills. Why make a kill when you there are meals for the taking? We could be the kings of thieves, living on their land, lifting their food from them when they were unaware."

A dark but shuddering laughter out of both pain and disgust grew from Scar's throat. He was certain that he could present Taka the most beautiful lioness, but it would still be him that he would adore the most. But the idea, of the two forming a team of rogues causing some trouble with other prides, even hyenas if he could gather the courage to face them again, sounded like, how dare he say it, fun. Maybe they could start rumours that Scar had returned, or that his ghost was wreaking havoc. That sounded very much like a lot of. . . Fun.

"Living like hyenas, in other words?"

Taka awkwardly flopped next to Scar, on his side with a slight wince, for there were ribs broken undearneath that red, torn, scarred fur, and let out a laugh. It as the first laugh he had in what seemed to be ages. "Less mangy looking in due time, I hope, and far more attractive." He leaned over and licked at that torn ear again that Scar tried to flick away.

"And far more intelligent, I can assure. . ." Taka'a voice was now almost a purr in itself, as he almost shyly nuzzled at his cheek, and with the tenderness of a lioness he licked carefully over his namesake scar, greeted with a snarl for doing so.

"I would hope so. . . "

Taka knew himself that he adored hearing praise about himself, perhaps, perhaps he could butter up Scar a little more with it. Absentmindedly he twisted his neck up onto Scar's paws as he turned over onto his back, almost tempting Scar to bite his throat out. Being of the social species he was, even though he had solitary tendencies, he yearned for his affection.

"The king, respected saluted, and see how wonder I am. . . " He spoke in a sing songy tone, and reached a paw up, resting it up against his cheek. "I can see the wonder that you are. How you survived such an event, that takes intelligence, to hide in the shadows, going on undetected. And even before your fight for survival, how you planned that take over, how you exacted your revenge."

Those words almost made Scar himself purr, his ego being thoroughly stroked, but then the dangerous words from Taka slipped out.

"And ten times the king Mufasa was - "

Before Taka could say more, a flash of fear ran through Scar's mind. He felt that flash of fear when Taka mentioned the name of their brothers, but hearing it again brought in a vision of Mufasa, appearing even larger than before, grasping his skull in his jaws and crushing it. The vision was all too real and in panic he seized Taka's head like Mufasa did in his vision, clamping down as he used his paws to pin him down to the cave's floor.

Taka froze in his grasp, and wasn't doubting it if he had wet himself from terror. Surely this was the moment that he was going to be reunited with his brother. His tightened his eyes, feeling the jaws clamp down on his skull with increasing pressure, as his heart pounded his tender rib cage

"Scar. . . " He gasped out, letting out a pitiful mewling sound, his tail tucking up against his body in terror. "I was just telling you. . . Ten times. . . Praising you. . . " With his jaws nearly clamped shut, his voice was but a pained whisper.

Slowly, to his surprise, Taka felt the other lion's loosen his grip, yet didn't let go just yet. Or perhaps he had died, and was waiting for his judgement. He had nightmares of it, being surrounded by kings of years past, hissing at them defensively, and then having Mufasa stand before him, judging him before them. He kept his eyes tight as he still felt the weight of the other lion holding him down. He realized though that he was still alive when he felt his heart still pounding, and he swallowed hard, waiting for the bite to finish him off for good this time.

But the bite didn't come. Scar loosened his bite further and let his head fall back onto his paws. Taka was still alive, his eyes tightened, his head turned away from him, leaving his throat exposed.

"Why. . . Why didn't you just kill me?" He nervously sputtered out.

Scar didn't give him an answer as he glared down at him for a moment, wondering that himself. It would be the end of the coalition that would benefit himself, but the end of his yearning for his affection, and one less competitor to a lioness. With a low growl, he brought his head down to Taka's black, matted mane again but instead of tearing his throat open as Taka fearfully predicted, he washed his lounge over it instead.

"W-why. . . ?"

"Because you smell like a dead hippo that's been floating down the river for a week. Someone had to wash you, and you weren't doing a particularly good job at it in your shape." Scar sardonically answered, dodging the question as he tugging away a piece of mane that was matted wth blood, bits of wood, and hyena hair.

Taka's heart still raced, his breathing as fast as a fleeing gazelle's. No, it can't be. . . Scar, finally giving him the affection in which he wanted from him? Was he dreaming?

"T-thanks. . . I'll. . . I'll reciprocate. . . " Taka almost whispered, slowly, slowly starting to relax again, though his heart still raced. He felt a watering sensation to his eyes, a sensation he hadn't felt for so long. . . Having been so frightened, he was crying.

"You better." Scar snapped back, with a dark laugh, knowing damn well he would do so happily; he was the one that starting this cycle of grooming after all.

The tawny lion saw the little river of tears coming down from his bony, scarred muzzle and with a huff he licked them off. The salty taste them of was mixed with the bitter, rotting one that he was sure that Taka had also tasted. He liked the taste of tears; they were the taste of fear.

"Come now, you have a reputation to keep. Can't be a brutal, murderous thief if you cry." He growled slightly as he felt Taka's tongue slip over his chin, followed by a rub of his head.

"Though I admit, your tears taste good."

"I-I wasn't crying!" Scar. "I don't cry. I haven't cried since I was a cub and I had an awful thorn in my paw."

"You were. I opened the dam. "

The tone of voice Scar was still dark, but perhaps quite not so hateful towards Taka and his existence. Taka tilted his head back as he started to uncurl his formally terrified form. Eventually, his back legs relaxed, sprawling out as he remained on his back as Scar tugged out more matts from his teeth, the process painful and Taka winced each time one was yanked out, but how good he felt!

"So filthy. . . " Scar shook his head, looking down at Taka's underside, matted with blood, ash, scabs, bites and claw marks from where Simba had kicked him off the pinnacle were visible. The hair was mostly gone, with only few patches of that cream colouring which, when he was healthy, accented well with this reddish coat.

Taka felt almost shy as he felt Scar's eyes study his form. The condition in which he was in took a hit to his vain character, humbling to him whereas this other Scar seemed to at peace with his tattered appearance. Truthfully he didn't look too much better before.

"I'm most fastidious, really - "

"Not now you aren't," Scar laughed, still with that dark tone, and he pulled out some more matts from his chest, these coming out more easily, less painfully.

"I wouldn't be playing mother if you were," Scar sighed, holding onto Taka as if he were a cub, as he worked on the edge of the mane extending to his chest, what was left of it, anyways.

"But I do get it. But harder to do the same things right now."

Taka's eyes were soft as he studied Scar's form. He had only gotten to some places, but there were so many more wounds he wanted to tend to. . . Maybe bring him some relief. For as sore as he was when he did so, he had to smile a bit when Scar held onto him like some overgrown cub as he continued his grooming down to his sternum, and then alongside his rib cage, re-positioning himself as he did so.

"Feels nice. . . " He murmured, closing his eyes as his "purring" was becoming so loud it might as well have been coming from an engine, and to his annoyance he pushed his body up against Scar, yearning for more.

"Perhaps getting so injured wasn't such a bad thing to happen to me after all."

Scar sighed. Now he'll never relent for his attention. "Need I remind you that I'm only doing it so you won't smell so badly." He was partially lying. For as much as he resisted, Taka was getting under his skin, and he hated that.

"Oh, perhaps I should roll on a rotting elephant carcass next!" Taka teased, even if he knew it was a contradiction to his narcissism, it was becoming a fun game to annoy this other lion, to see how far he could go, to get his reactions. He felt. . . Younger, for it, like that young cub that had to tease his siblings.

"Such cheek. . . "

Scar shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh as he moved to groom Taka's belly. This was Taka's sensitive spot, as he discovered after a few licks, and he grunted as he was kicked in the head by the lion who tried not to laugh. Securing the kicking leg with one foreleg, he growled against him as he licked at his wounds, this eliciting that odd purring sound, happy little chuckles and a expression of pure bliss on Taka's face. Now and then he felt his teeth scraping against him, but he didn't panic, instead pushed himself up against him as good as he could in his position, wanting more.

"I think I am in love. . . " Taka spoke to himself quietly, his eyes closed, a toothy smile appearing upon his face.

'Why me. . . ' Scar sighed, overhearing it, and uncertain as if Taka wanted him to hear it, and as he cleaned off the grime caught between the inside of his leg and his belly. 'Why. . . ' He gave some more wounds some more licks before he moved back up to Taka's head, satisfied with what this one grooming had done and bitterly he knew how much Taka had enjoyed it.

"What I'm in love with is that that my nose can stop burning. " He almost hacked up a hairball as the word "love" registered again.

"Mmm, I do feel cleaner - "

"Because you are." Scar grumbled, contorting his lips as he tried to scrape his lounge of the grease and blood and ash and what knows else against his incisors.

"It'll take me a month to rid my mouth of your taste. I've eaten decomposed matter from unknown species that tasted better."

Taka teased, pawing at his good ear. "Are you saying I'm rotten?"

"Yes." There was a twinge of that smile again appearing in the corner of his lips, and for once, though he didn't reciprocate, he didn't move his head away from his when Taka reached his head up to nuzzle Scar's cheek.

"Now, your turn to groom me," Scar growled, laying next to him in an awkward, pained heap. "Make good on your promise or perhaps I'll deprive you of turning you into a purring puddle on the ground again."

There was that hint of a smile on Scar's face again. He could manipulate Taka just as much as Taka manipulated him. He turned his head aside as Taka started at Scar's mane again. It was a good threat he thought, and curled a lip as Taka worked on a particularly large matt from the back of his head, and he whipped his head back at the other with a snarl as it was torn off him like a leg off a zebra kill.

"Perhaps it would have been better if you had let me lie adorably by your side?" Taka teased, his face within inches of the other lion's canine teeth.

"As adorable as a week old buffalo in the heat of the dry season, and I'm not talking about a calf that's a week old." As good as Taka had been good at sassy comebacks, Scar himself wasn't too bad at them himself, typically spoken in deadpan.

Scar growled, twitching his tail, glaring as the other's black maned head rubbed underneath his chin, as if to sooth his temper. "Just continue. Be mindful that I'm not quite dead so do take care to not rip pieces of myself off."

"As you wish, your majesty." Taka smirked and obeyed, shifting a bit to get to his shoulders again, licking that spot where the bone protruded, before moving over to his side.

Scar closed his eyes for a moment, taking this in, but appearing aloof as a statue. He was not resisting this gesture, but trying not to let it be known to Taka that he was enjoying this. Allogrooming had long part of leonine bonding; lionesses did this, coalition males do this. . . And his sordid brain reminded him that he and his brother took part in grooming each other, even after their infamous battle. A low sigh though escaped from his chest, betraying that yes, he was enjoying this. It had been too long since he's partook in grooming another, or having another lion groom him, as it had been for Taka.

The sigh didn't escape Taka's keen hearing. 'He is enjoying this. . . ' He gave a long gash across Scar's side one more lick before he spoke lowly into his ear.

"If you could turn to your other side, I could clean that side as well."

His ears turned back, Scar grunted as he re-positioned. If this was to be part of the routine for the rogue thieves of the land, he would need to take time to get used to this.

"Fine. . ." He wrinkled his nose a bit when he could still detect that scent on Taka was still unacceptably strong, and groomed him wherever he could reach.

With a low, content rumble rose up from Taka's chest from Scar's attention, he proceeded to carefully lick his wounds which were mingled with scars of days gone by. He could envision what he had looked like well before his days of battle. He pictured a handsome lion, his coat glistening, his body sleek and lithe like his own but not as fine in bone structure. Even in his present state, he could see that he was a handsome animal, to him, anyways.

"You are enjoying this, you're hiding it, but - " Taka murmured, before being quickly dismissed by Scar.

It bothered how this lion knew so much from him, how he almost psychoanalyzed him; Scar would say one thing and Taka would say something contradicting him, challenging him rather than leaving him be about something. Next to his flamboyancy, he felt as if it was Taka's most bothersome trait, perhaps worse than his quest for his affection; he had figured it was the result of loneliness, or maybe he hit his head a bit too hard falling off that pinnacle. The theory of the Great Kings of The Past having a part in this made sense to him, and to Taka. Perhaps Mufasa felt their brother deserved a chance at redemption but didn't want him to have an easy path to it. Perhaps he felt it was their punishment, but Mufasa felt it wasn't their time to lose their lives for it; or maybe, he had other plans for his brother.

"I'm. . . Tolerating it."

The barely audible, drawn out moan from deep within Scar's chest, said otherwise. It was a sound of hesitant contentment, he tried to repress but yet he couldn't. He flinched slightly when he felt Scar's rough tongue move ove this his hip, and then a haunch and growled when he felt his teeth scrape a wound. With a curled lip He batted him away from his stiff leg, and an apologetic Taka came up to him and rubbed his forehead against his.

"I'm certain I'm not dead, no need to scavenge just yet." Scar scolded, his tail whipping once in annoyance, but he calmed again when and his next move would shock the ther lion.

Taka closed his eyes as he felt Scar's scarred forehead rub up against his, that murmuring "purr" returning. With a smile, a genuine smile, Taka returned the gesture, a cautious paw placed behind his neck, as if in a leoine embrace. Taka's nuzzling was followed with a careful lick, spending a moment to carefully word what he was going to say next.

"If you would let me, I can clean your underside as you have done for me."

It was a big question to ask another lion, to expose the most vulnerable parts of their body to another. They were vulnerable to attack here, and their species could inflict horrific damage to another in a flash of a claw or a bite to these areas. Taka watched Scar carefully, and stepped back when he saw his ears fold back, expecting him to lash out as he normally did when he pinned his ears, normally over food or whenever Taka needled him a bit too far.

"I suppose you would persist until I would give in?" Scar asked dryly, turning his head into Taka's as he licked over that scar again.

"Well, I - "

Scar cut him off again, pressing his claws into Taka's front paws, using enough pressure to inflict pain as a form of warning. His claws didn't break the skin, but they were in deep enough for them to feel against the bone. His tone of voice as he spoke was enough to send a chill through him, and his words sent the message home.

"I may be injured, but an injured lion can be incredibly dangerous," Scar leaned in, standing over him as he shrank down to the ground. "If you try to attack me while I am on my back, I will cut you open with the speed a falcon that's taking out a dove would be jealous of. Do you understand?"

Taka nodded, gulping nervously at the visual that it presented. He had seen these birds in action before, having vivid memories as a cub, watching a falcon strike a dove out of the air as his father told his sons about the circle of life. That memory stayed with him for some time; he remembered being jealous of the hunting prowess of those birds, wishing he himself could exact the same lethal exactness. He never did become a good hunter, while certainly agile he lacked the brute strength that was desired in the males to take down the like of such dangerous prey as the Cape Buffalo. Muffs took those down relatively quickly and gained much respect from the pride in doing such.

"I-I understand."

Scar read him for a moment, looking for any sign that Taka had ill intent, and saw only sincerity in his eyes. He unsheathed his claws, and turned over onto his back, wincing a bit as he flt a stone press against one of his wounds to his lower back. Taka's head dipped into what was left of his mane in a head rub, tugging out a matt. Just as a bit of a thrill for himself, knowing that he - like himself, for as much as he hated to admit it - was a coward at heart, he let out a chilling growl, just to scare him.

"We take turns in controlling each other, you and I," Scar noted, studying him as he tended to his chest. "You needle me relentless. After a while I may give in, if it benefits me, our coalition." He arched his back off the ground for a moment, as he felt Taka's muzzle as at his chest, a nasty burn between his front legs. The rough lounge stung him with contact, but after a while it brought him relief.

"And I can control you. . ." Scar murmured, closing his eyes as he felt the dead skin and debris being lifted away by the barbs of Taka's tongue.

"I can strong paw you, intimidate you as I've just demonstrated but more so, I can take your mentally in my claws and dig in just as you have done with me. We are in equal paw in that regard, always finding one way or another to one up each other, always finding out our own strengths and weaknesses." He paused.

"And it, our mental prowess, and our equal paw on it, fascinates me."

"As it does with me," Taka thought, tugging out one more mat from his mane and with the preening he had done to his mane, even less was left of it than before.

"You are a hard Marla nut to crack, but I feel if I can work on that crack, I can get you to open."

At once, Scar was both fascinated and annoyed. Slowly a smile formed upon his face, his eyes bright. "I will welcome that challenge, Taka."

Scar wanted to see just how far Taka would go on this challenge, to see if he could have him open up to him more on a personal level. He had resisted falling his strange charisma, but today he had felt those aforementioned cracks; how further could he go with him?

Whilst they were equal in terms of intelligence and mental prowess, Taka and Scar went about it in different ways; he lacked the flamboyancy of his. . . Counterpart, but where he lacked that he made up for in brutality. For this difference, Scar held the upper paw in the coalition; but with his manipulative ways, Taka was a very close second. Most males fought for their position in their coalition, these two settled it bloodlessly. Perhaps brains, over brawn, had given them both an edge over the other rogue male lions in the region, in their ability to be more resourceful of the land's bounties; less energy spent fighting each other on a physical level, could be spent thieving and other debauchery.

"Forgive me if this takes some time, I do have my work cut out for me," Taka said in a mock scolding tone, licking a spot over his chest.

"You say I'm dirty, when was the last time you washed yourself? Must have been months, before the mess with the hyenas."

Scar frowned, giving him a half-hearted kick with his back foot. Such a catty comment, he thought. "Well unlike you with, how did you put it, your raven hair." He added an exaggerated pawing to the remnants of his own mane, imitating those ridiculous paw gestures he had seen Taka doing so often.

"I don't spend all the time grooming. That'd be impossible!"

"Cuts in too much time moping in the shadows I see?" Taka teased, a playful twinkle in eyes. He truly did get joy out of getting a raise out of Scar, save for when he had thought his head was going to be cracked like a melon, unaware that it had been an apparition and not his words.

"I like the shadows. They bring me comfort. . . " Scar closed his eye with a shuddered breath, feeling Taka's grooming move further down along the edge of his rib cage, grunting when he kept going over cracked bones.

"It is where the shadows they cast us in. . . " Taka reminded, his voice rumbled against the lion's body. He felt Scar's body shift from this sensation. He considered for a moment and then decided to hold him as Scar had held him to groom; when he was in his hold his mind took him to a simpler time, before the darkness in his life came; his very early cub hood. Scar gave a swat and muttered under his breath that he wasn't a cub, but he still held onto him.

"Shadows are a contradictory. At once, they make us safe, give us security, but it is where they sent us."

Scar didn't fight his words this time; deep down Taka was right. His father had given everything the light touches to Mufasa; it was he who had the sunlight. Shadows gave him a sort of refuge, but also an exclusion, a reminder, who he was and what he didn't have. He gasped sharply as he felt Taka's tongue clean a particularly nasty bite between his starvation-hollowed chest and abdomen, that Taka noted looked only slightly fuller than his own only because he only got the scraps that Scar left for him. This cleaning took his mind out of the thoughts of shadows, and after the initial sting from the debris being scraped away. . . Maybe it even felt good.

"A little to the centre. . . " Scar almost purred his order, almost, being the keyword, for he still didn't want Taka's acknowledgement that he was enjoying this. Even in his posture he was able to control Taka who obeyed once more, and he loved having control.

Taka carefully watched Scar's expression as he groomed, watching for anything that would indicate that the other lion would take ninth life. There was none to be found, and he took amusement that as he groomed his belly, his tattered beard tickled. Between clenched jaws, there was a funny little sound. Could it be. . . ?

"I can tell you are really hating this - "

Scar snorted, laughter in his voice, held back, suppressed laughter but laughter. "That is involuntary!" He pouted. "I hate it. I loathe it."

Taka smiled, rubbing his muzzle over his belly now in between licks. His purring rumbled against his hide. "I could tell from the purring that you do." He took delight in the little argument that interrupted from this.

"I do not purr!"

"You do too."

"I growl, there's a difference."

Taka scoffed, now a self-proclaimed expert on purring. "It was a purr. They come from the chest. A growl comes from deep within the gut."

"Now you're doing that on purpose!" Scar yelped, squirming in Taka's hold, when he felt a tooth scraping against his skin; knowing it was probably intentional.

"You are sadistic!"

Taka smirked, happily taking that as a compliment. "Why, thank you. It takes one to know one." He gave his counterpart, his coalition partner one more lick before he came up to his face, booping his forehead against Scar's.

"Be thankful I wasn't using claws this time." Taka teased.

Scar sighed, giving Taka a half swat that a lioness would use to tell off a bratty cub. To his own surprise, though, he booped Taka's head in return. He felt so clean but in doing, he handed the power over to Taka, at least for that one vulnerable moment. No worries, though, he'd get Taka back in control, until the next time he one upped him.

"I still don't purr."

"Do, too."

Both incarnations of TLK's Scar and other named characters belong to Disney and not me.


	3. Thieves in The Night

**Thieves in The Night**

by Roaming Tigress

Two weeks have gone by since the coalition between Scar and Taka formed. Many an inexperienced leopard's kill have been taken by Scar in the meantime and though still hurting, Taka managed to the night before to nice catch of tilapia for them both.

Scar laid by the mouth of the cave, just out of reach of the light. "The moon's nice and bright. There's the possibility that someone might catch us tonight."

Taka picked up on the excitement in his voice. For as dangerous as it was, his companion felt excitement about being caught, it would have to happen eventually, he thought. Taka felt some of that excitement himself, but he was a little more cautious. After licking a pawpad who's burns were only starting to heal, he padded up next to him.

"I suppose the leopards by now may have complained to Zazu," Taka thought. 'We ought to go after different sources, Scar - "

The tawny Scar shook his head, waving it away with a shake. "I don't think they had a good look at us. They probably assumed it was Bakonga, he and Syann still partake in theft. In fact, they're our biggest competitors. They're why we haven't found anything sustainable beyond the fish you caught for two days." Scar bared his teeth.

Bakonga and his mate, the large, fierce lioness, Syann, where a pair that called the Kube River and surrounding land their's. The Pridelands was once their land, but left it voluntarily during Mufasa's reign, seeking new opportunities, Bakonga said, at being mere adolescents. Their land had abundant prey, but theft from surrounding territory, was much more exciting.

"Perhaps we should form an alliance with them," Taka considered, flicking the tip of his tail underneath Scar's nose, which he snorted at.

"Syann is a fine hunter when she wants to hunt rather than steal, and Bakonga bragged about that time he got a rhino calf. Even though it was already stuck in the mud. He can bring a buffalo down if he wants to."

Scar was quiet for a moment. With Syann being a lioness, perhaps – more food could be available. Maybe with her, there was the chance of starting a new pride, with the chance of cubs, but . . . No.

"No. If we are to keep a low profile," Scar shook his head, smelling the air for drifting scents. "They have to be considered the main suspects. They can take the fall for us should they be talking, which knowing Zazu, they will be. Along with the hyenas, they can take our fall for us for eternity. I detected their scent when I pinched that impala from that leopard cub."

The very idea they were anywhere close filled Taka with dread. Whilst Scar was wary of them, he was game to sink his teeth into them, whereas Take was terrified of them. The two have slept in separate sections of the cave since they met . . . Until the previous night. That was when when he had a nightmare of them attacking him and he sought the companionship of a very grumpy sleep deprived Scar. He let him stay, though, too tired to fight him away.

"Perhaps they are out after us, the hyenas . . ." Taka warily looked out from the mouth of the cave, behind Scar, as if hiding for protection from them.

"You still thinking of that dream?" Scar rolled his eyes.

Taka gasped, nodded. "Y-yes . . ." His voice shook, and he cowered behind his companion. "I-It was all too real. They piled ontop of me, started to rip my mane off, you saw what they did to me - "

"Did to us," Scar injected, sharply "As you know I had the same, but I want to tear them apart with my teeth." He paused.

"You will be sleeping with me once again, will you?"

Taka looked down at the ground, sheepishly pawing away at a stone. "If . . . It's okay with you. I would feel safer with you at night."

"You are worse than a cub at times," Scar scoffed, venturing out of their lair with a swoosh of his tail.

"But fine. But do refrain from sinking your claws into me. I still hurt just as you do." He then added darkly, a smirk in the corner of his lips.

"Besides, the hyenas will just unhook you from my hide and whisk you into the night if thy don't want a two for one special."

Taka shuddered at that, though he had found a certain appeal in his dark humour. It was on the same level as his own. He gave Scar's tail a little nip when it was whisked in his face this time and looked at him innocently when Scar looked back at him sharply.

"Must have been the hyenas . . . " Scar said dryly, and though even saying that words gave Taka a sick feeling to his stomach, it also gave him an idea.

"Whilst we talk of scavengers, and then our realization we have to live like scavengers, do you remember the Pridelands' food cache?" Taka asked, his mind trying mentally map out where it was during his stint as king

Scar paused, considering. "Yes, why?"

"Why, silly?" Taka teased, feeling his confidence return as he pushed his back up against Scar's chin. Being smaller than Scar, not a large lion himself, he did this with ease.

"Free food for the taking! They always store something in it."

It as a brilliant plan; usually it had one full carcass, was kept in an underground den. It was once belonging to an Aardwolf, much smaller than their own but there was food to be had. Some weeks before they wouldn't been in the shape to venture and the long road to recovery was ahead of them, but such a delicious temptation, a good reward for being as successful as hey have been recently

"Once in a while, Taka, you do get a good idea."

For once, Scar let Taka take lead, for he was familiar with this particular Pridelands. After he woke up from black out, following the hyena attack, the surrounding area he was a foreign land to him and all he knew was that he had to go into hiding. The cave was a perfect place, only the bats resided there and they said not a word to him. He had a food cache in "his" Pridelands, but this Pridelands was an entirely different animal.

"Why thank you," Taka grinned, his head held high in a bit of that arrogance he was known for.

I do take pride in being the brains of the outfit."

Scar cuffed him for that with a grumble in which Taka laughed, leading the way through a twisted, worn path through brush. It wasn't so much that Taka was smarter than himself, only that he internalized more as he planned, was more quiet.

"We should probably think of some sort of plan if they do catch us - " Taka thought outloud.

"Run?" Scar asked, dryly, mocking their predicament; although healing they were not in any shape to run, not for any distance, anyways.

There was a twisted sort of smile upon Taka's face as an idea slipped in. He knew it was something that Scar might even take delight in, knowing how much he gets under his skin.

"You have an idea already, don't you?"

That smile grew more. "Yes. It involves something that I think you might have fantasized about."

"What, killing you?"

Taka laughed, both at once out of dark and nervousness. "Not quite, but how would you go about playing hero, in pretending to kill me? Say you are some rogue, you were searching for a meal and when you saw my infamous face? Could get you some perks if you "kill" me."

He gave Scar a bit of a shoulder slam, teasing. "Maybe a lioness . . . "

Scar pushed him back with his body in response. "We can try it. I don't think sucking up to them would work quite well out for you as it grudgingly worked for you with me." Although Simba didn't want to be like his uncle, and wouldn't want the lionesses to kill him for it, they would surely relish in attacking him.

The cache lay within the area of Rafiki's tree; the hole that was formally a den site was blocked off by odd shaped rocks, ones that would be difficult to remove by the paws of hyenas – or even desperate lions. But food awaited for the pair of lions here. Scent of zebra wafted to them, making them drool.

"Zebra, and it's fresh . . . " Taka almost drooled, licking his lips. "Going from the scent, it was caught earlier in the day."

He paused, before rubbing his head underneath Scar's chin. "Stay back a bit, makes it look more natural should there be any prying eyes. There's bound to be talk of a thief in the land. If you see anyone approach, then rush at me, and just hold me down like you did . . . " He shuddered at the memory of feeling Scar's canine teeth clamp onto his skull.

"Back there." He swallowed.

"I'll bring you back your share."

Scar nodded. The plan was surely going to trigger that memory of Taka's, perhaps making it look more realistic. The idea would only work if nobody saw them together, of course. They were both aware of this, but had no other plan and starvation was not one of them.

He held back as he saw Taka cautiously head towards the Aardwolf den, his body low to the ground, his ears turning in every direction. He remained low to the ground himself, following only after there was a long distance away from each other.

It's quiet. Too quiet. Doesn't seem right. Maybe that food was put out for us as a trap.

The uncertainty of whether or not they were being followed, watched, thrilled him. He cautiously proceeded to follow Taka across a stream, and he spent a moment basking in the water to rid himself of Taka's scent before proceeding, just as Taka did prior to him. For this plan to work, the last they wanted was for the lionesses to know that they were a coalition.

Ahead, Taka paused, a paw held up from the ground as he listened. He heard something move about but uncertain as to its exact destination. Perhaps some bird, he thought, and he proceeded to slink over to the telltale Aardwolf den – previously an Aardvark den and a termite mound prior. He looked around, cautious, before he worked on pawing away at the rocks.

Indeed, Taka was being watched, and not just by Scar.

In the bushes, her body pressed to the ground, laid Sarabi. She was of considerable distance from Scar, that if she was to make a running dash at him he would take off. She saw that he was limping considerably, but didn't know that he couldn't run for any distance. She had long been a patient hunter, however, and was biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to make her move.

At his moment, Taka was her prey. Her shock of seeing him alive as she came to the cache to retrieve a leg for an injured lioness was as quickly replaced by anger. Maybe instead of a mere leg she can get for Sarafina, she can get an entire lion carcass. Oh how she wanted to have his throat in her jaws, ridding the Pridelands of him for good this time. In the shape he was in, she was certain she could bring him down on her own.

So it has been him that has been stealing from the leopards. That murderous, lying coward had been alive all this time!

At last, Taka loosened up some more rocks to free the leg in which Sarabi had in mind to take. He dropped it quickly though, whipping his head around in every direction, seemingly regretting this plan. It wasn't the firt time a plan had backfired, of course; he was still healing from the injuries of such a plan.

_Someone is watching me. Scar? Please? Show yourself!_

Sarabi's eyes remained fixed on Taka, her shoulders bunched, ready to pounce. She was aware he knew something was up but staying downwind, his scent, that awful scent, drifted to her and she bared her teeth at it.

From the hill in which he was watching, Scar was watching Taka's body language. He was as fidgety as a jackal at a lion's kill, as nervous a a gazelle picking up the scent of a lioness, beyond being just cautious. Something was there watching him, and he craned his neck around, moving some steps away for a better vantage point.

"Lioness . . . " Scar whispered to himself, seeing Syann's talking form.

As quickly as he could move Scar made a beeline to Taka, hoping to get to him before she did. She was of some distance from him still, laying patiently in wait but he wasn't going to wait for her to move. All it would take would be a few bounds and she would have him in his jaws.

Run. He would have to run, and on three legs, Scar ran as best as he can. He stopped only when he stumbled but he collected himself again, grunting with each step he took on his right left leg.

If Taka survives this suicide mission, he owes me, big time.

Sarabi remained patient. Taka hadn't moved far from where he was, and her eyes were narrowed in anger as he fed upon their hard-earned meal. If she moved now, he would be up and taking off. She waited for him to turn his narrow back towards her, tugging the full leg out from the den before she silently stepped forward.

It was when Sarabi's head peered out from the brush in which she was hiding from, that Scar arrived at the scene. She hissed, as the tawny, scarred male came tearing by on three legs, pouncing HER prey just in time as he started to turn away with the kill.

"There sure seems to be a lot of food being stolen lately!" She snarled, preparing to pounce again as Scar tackled Taka to the ground, his jaws placed around Taka's throat, sending the lion into a state of panic, his legs flailing, clawing blindly at him. Part of it was part of the act, another part was panic all on his own.

Scar eyed the lioness in the corner of his bright eyes, as he tried to hold Scar's flailing form down, his jaws still clamped on his throat. When Taka felt his teeth rub up against his windpipe, he froze in terror, letting out pitiful whimpering, mewling sounds.

Sarabi circled from behind, watching for the perfect angle to attack Scar from.

"Strangle the life from him!" Sarabi ordered. "And leave his carcass for me. He was my prey before you showed up on the scene."

Scar only wished he could hold onto Taka's throat - who was now feeling the way a gazelle feels in the clutches of a lioness - and speak to her at the same time. He dropped his grip though, Taka's head falling "dead" at his feet.

Scar kept a paw down on Taka's head, minding him to stay still as he turned to look over at the angry lioness, who was pacing, half circling this rogue male, as he explained. He remained calm, collected, in spite of.

"I found Scar having the audacity of not only being still alive, but also stealing from your land, catching him the act of stealing from the royal food cache. I don't think you would want to eat him, he probably has worms and god knows what else."

Sarabi remained, growling, pacing, studying this male whom she hadn't seen before. She noted that he had that same scar but didn't read into it; lots of males get into fights and get marked for life for it.

"And who are you?"

"Aelurus," Scar nodded, his claws slightly digging into Taka's throat in a reminding gesture when he felt his breathing may have been too visible, as he explained himself.

"I have no land to call my own. But what Scar had done to your lands had made news everywhere."

Sarabi said not a word, only gave a nod of acknowledgement. She sneaked in a bit closer and for once, Taka was terrified of her, not moving a muscle. At any time she could start eating him, he thought, but he didn't dare move.

"And for ridding the lands of him, I am thankful." Sarabi paused, still studying this strange lion, looking for anything worrisome.

"I suppose you deserve some reward of some kind. Come, follow me. I must bring this up with Simba at once and you can bring him this news."

The lioness gave one more look at Taka's 'carcass'. She felt like attacking 'it' out of rage for all that he he had done to the pride, to her mate, and did so with ferocity that frightened Scar. In an act of cowardly self preservation, he stepped back as she tore at him, looking away as he saw Taka opened a terrified 'help me' expression. As she bit down into his chest she felt something beat against her mouth. He wasn't quite dead yet and she tore into him again, further enraged.

"That was for Mufasa!" She roared into to his face, before getting to her feet.

"He's dead . . . " Scar spoke with a shuddered voice, nudging her with his paw.

Sarabi seethed. "When I bit down on him, I felt his heart beat. He was still breathing." Pinning her ears with her teeth bared, she turned towards Taka when he heard pitiful little cry from him that sounded like he was saying 'i'm sorry', or maybe it was a 'I surrender', but she was blocked from doing futher damage by the slightly healthier male.

Scar sighed, strangely relieved to hear he was still alive, whatever he said, but finding himself unable to look at the pathetic, crumpled form of his companion. He fought the feeling of feeling guilty but felt a pang of it as he stood by and let him be mauled by the angry lioness. It only had just in the nick of time stopped her from finishing the job.

"Best we leave him for the hyenas. They'll be looking for their meal."

Scar turned and left Taka as he was lead away by the shaken, angry Sarabi, who took the zebra leg with her. He let her walk some paces ahead of him, before he turned back to Taka, only after making sure she wasn't watching him.

"Get back to the cave, Taka! I'll be back." Scar whispered out his order in a hissed tone, before he turned and left, Taka watching him until he disappeared.

The plan's groundwork had begun, albeit not smoothly, and to the detriment of Taka. He would survive this ordeal, with an injured ego, but it would give him another setback to his healing. The silver lining was that they would be more wounds for Scar to groom. At this time, though, feeling vulnerable, Taka curled himself up as he swallowed hard, suddenly missing the one he never thought he would miss - Mufasa.

Taka shut his eyes tightly, ignoring the hunger in his stomach. More meat remained in the cache but he let his mind wander back in time, in a more innocent time. He never got the love his brother had lavished on him and was neglected, but he remembered those few good times when the two were working on their pouncing lessons, alongside their cubhood friend Sarabi, to the annoyance of Zazu. He let tears fall from his eyes, feeling completely and utterly alone once Scar was out of sight.

"I miss you, brother."


	4. The Business ArrangementThe Confession

** The Business Arrangement, and The Confession**  
by Roaming Tigress 

It was in the wee hours of the morning when Scar returned from Pride Rock. Taka was there, asleep in a heap in the corner of the cave that he designated his. He supposed he felt comfort there, with his scent. He dropped the Duiker carcass in which he had taken from a poacher's snare on the way and placed it down before he came over.

He spent a moment watching Taka with a look of ridicule. He looked as innocent as a cub, instead of the rogue criminal that he was, sprawled out, . He sighed and brought his head down to his chest to wash the drying blood over those four perfect puncture marks from Sarabi's bite. He was rather surprised it hadn't killed him. In all likelihood she probably cracked a few more ribs. What's a few more cracked ribs when they were already probably damaged?

A sliver of green and yellow eye of Taka's opened, and he moaned lowly in pain. He looked up at Scar, sleepily, trying to register who it was that was grooming him. He had been dreaming of his mother grooming again, fond memories in place of the usual bad ones which he had been getting recently. He slowly registered Scar's voice, hanging onto his words as best as he could.

"For 'killing' you, this part of the land was given to me, and that makes it part of your land at all. We are entitled to whatever food we need in this area. I couldn't secure a lioness, unfortunately but that'll come in time, I'm sure. "

It sounded promising to the sleepy Taka, but -

"But Sarabi nearly killed me," Taka frowned, looking away, and for once, swatting away Scar as he resumed grooming, rather a big surprise to him.

"Nearly sucked the air out of my lungs! And you stood there, not doing a thing!"

It had been the first time since Taka had been angry at Scar, beyond their catty little disagreements, and he was at once astonished and perhaps, impressed. But there came that pang of guilt again and he growled when he felt that feeling. He tried to keep this arrangement strictly business, without letting himself become attached to Taka. After a moment, he folded his ears back and padded away, to where Taka usually slept.

"Do you have anything to say?" Taka questioned, and for the first time, demanding, as he sat up with a pained grunt, watching him.

Scar didn't answer for a moment, his posture hunched as he sat, looking down at the ground. He was about to argue that it was Taka's plan all along, that it had gone awry, but he didn't say a word until he heard Taka limping up to to him. He looked away from him.

"Taka, I . . . " He sighed, still looking down at his paws.

"I'm a coward. You and I, we're intertwined in that way. I don't judge you for it. But when she seized you and you looked at me like that . . . I froze."

Taka said not a word as he looked away, and tiredly padded back to Scar's side of the cave. He laid down, his back towards the other lion. His silence spoke volumes to Scar.

"It was your idea, Taka. And while our raid didn't turn out like neither of us wanted, our plan is in motion."

Scar shook his head with a growl when Taka continued to give him the silent treatment, frustrated. He paced, as best as he could on travel sore feet, still recovering from burns.

"I saw her from my vantage point, and tried to get down to you as fast as I could, as soon as I saw her."

With no word from Taka, Scar's temper grew, his voice echoing in the cave. "It was your idea to do this, it was your idea to raid their cache."

There was still no response from Taka, as he laid his head on his paws. Scar stood over him, feeling like he should cuff him for behaving like a seemingly insolent cub. But what good would that do? He'd only continue to not speak to him and it was important to communicate in a coalition. And he need'n't feel more . . . Guilty.

_Why must I feel guilty? Why? It was him that stole from my food when I had my back turned and asleep, and he had the bloody nerve to beg me to spare him, in that . . . Flirtative way he did. It was him that pushed with this idea for a coalition. Why should I care if he never says a word to me again?_

Scar dug his nails into the cave floor, as if stopping himself, his feelings, from going further. It was now foreign for him to not have Taka fawn over him, for him to not rub his bony head against his, or to have him flop by his feet, willingly exposing his vulnerable underside to him and sometimes, to his annoyance, even flopped ontop of him in the mornings. Secretly, as much as he thought about how ridiculous Taka's displays of affection were, Scar had begun to like having someone fawn over him. This gave him power; for once, he was being treated like a king, in a way the lionesses never did during his reign.

And now, Taka wasn't saying a word.

"Why must you be a diva?"

Taka frowned otherwise there was no response, not even looking at him.

With a sigh, Scar took the initiative. As he turned over onto his side, he bent down and started to lick Taka's bite mark again. He tried to get away, but for a change, he was patient with him and simply held him down by a paw.

"I don't want to be groomed!" Taka complained like a cub who's mother had picked him up and started to groom him, when all he wanted to do was to play.

"Shhh . . . " Scar murmured, resuming his grooming after he got another good grip on him underneath his paws as he squirmed. He got an idea, and started carefully kneading his side.

"Would it make you feel a little better if I told you that I have been thinking of this idea of a coalition with Bakonga and Syann? Now that we have our piece of territory and all, we could expand it . . . I invited them to come for a chat tonight." Aside from the addition of a lioness, there would be the added benefit of physical protection for them both, should such an alliance would form.

Taka made some half hearted attempt to squirm free of him again, before succumbing once Scar reached halfway down his body. To Scar's amusement, he cocked a leg to expose his belly, and without needing to physically turn him aside, he rolled over.

"Yes, oh, maybe . . . " Taka whispered out a neither a yes or a no, but was now like putty in Scar's paws.

The two had been so occupied in their little reconciliation, that they didn't realize they were being watched from the mouth of their cave. A pair of glowing eyes stared at them, menacingly, their large figures lit up under the moonlight. It was the female figure that spoke first, a teasing, biting tone it was.

"Who would have thought that the evil Scar not only survived, but also had himself a male 'companion'?"

Then the other voice added. A mocking, haughty, masculine tone. "With his reputation, I suppose he couldn't get a lioness. Had to settle for this mangy beast."

"Who are you calling mangy?" Scar demanded with a roar, standing over over a shocked and embarrassed Taka now, who remained on his back, underneath him, disappointed that his grooming had been stopped.

"And he is not my lover."

Inwardly, those words stung Taka. He recovered quickly, though and slipped underneath from the other lion. He felt a little sassy, and he rubbed himself up against Scar, subtly telling him he had this one under control.

Quite boldly, just as he had greeted Scar in the cave, Taka came up into Bakonga's space, teasingly flicking the tip of his tail underneath the large, tawny, heavy maned male lion's chin. He was as large as Mufasa, with every much the same presence as him.

"Ah, Bakonga. Still with Syann, I see. Does she still smack you upside the head when she sees you eyeballing those svelte creatures?"

Bakonga snorted as the tail brushed against his nose, and also at his catty little comment. "Not advisable . . ."

Syann, indeed not caring for Taka's sass and maybe feeling a bit jealous for flirting with her companion, got into his personal space and forced him away from Scar. She was a large lioness, rich tawny in colour and formidable built, and indeed some ways more resembled a maneless male than a lioness. Scars marred her coat, from years of living as a vagabond with Bakonga. She was the brains of the operation, and Bakonga let her take care of Taka as he stepped aside to speak to Scar.

"I beg your pardon?" Syann demanded.

Syann growled, her eyes meeting his as she backed Taka up further away from Scar, who watched as he conversed with Bakonga. Earlier he already was put in his place by them, caught in the act of swiping a Duiker from a poacher's snare. They had absolutely all intentions of taking it for themselves. A very brief scuffle errupted that ended quickly, with, when Scar wisely surrendered, he offered a deal to them to spare his life, which would gain them more bites of food than a mere Duiker.

Taka grinned nervously, looking over at his companion, for backup, but did not get it. He backtracked, realizing that perhaps, he ran his mouth; he last time he did so was when he betrayed the hyenas who nearly took his life.

"I was just merely commenting on your physical strength. You're a fine lioness, Syann. A fine hunter."

Syann leaned in, her stare hard. Being the leader of this planned coalition, she wasn't going to suffer fools gladly – and wanted to send the message to Taka that she was boss. She wasn't going to let any lion sass her, no matter what their reputation.

"Get back . . ." Taka snarled, defensively with his head tilted to one side, but his body language was one of fear, despite flashed teeth.

Seeing his body language, Syann remained unfazed and stared Taka down, forcing him against the back wall of the cave. She simply sat before him, her tail switching in a circular motion in residual irritation. She was confident that she had put Taka in her place right away, and calmed, licking a paw. Taka as well calmed, but he avoided eye contact.

"Perhaps we overheard a certain bird named Zazu about him sending trackers out to find you. You should be thankful we gave you the head's up. We could have lead them right to you. We should have, we know well of your reputation, and it would be less competition on the thieving front for us."

Taka growled at the mention of that hornbill, of trackers. "Sending the dogs out after us . . . And Simba judged me for having hyenas as failed allies."

He kept his head as low Bakonga blocked off Scar from any chance of protecting him as he stepped over, and Syann turned and left to distract the other lion, to pull him away from any chance of being Taka's body guard. It was time for him to face Bakonga, one on one.

"Yes, hello there, Scar. It's me again, you rneighbourhood pirate, Bakonga."

Taka rolled his eyes. "Just what I had wanted . . . "

"Testy, are we?" Bakonga mocked, getting some sort of thrill out of intimidating Taka into flinching when he raised a paw, as if to strike him and placed it back down when he got the reaction he wanted from him.

"Thought so."

Having already been cowed by Syann, Taka truly didn't need further intimidation, but he wanted to send the message home further. He calmed, and pulled the smaller, thin lion in close against him with a mighty paw. Taka initially struggled but gave in when he felt his claws keading into his hide of his shoulder. If he made a move he thought would be an escape, they would dig in.

"We were intrigued by this idea of a coalition that your companion had spoke to us about. You are a coward, who truly doesn't deserve to live, but if there's one thing I could say to you, is that you are cunning and your intelligence could be of help to us. You don't live through such a thing on luck alone."

Taka took this as a compliment, and looked over at his companion, who dropped the Duiker carcass before Syann as if it was a gift of sorts. He looked up at Bakonga, his tail curling up around himself.

"Then, I suppose . . . A coalition has been born," Taka nodded, offering a paw to touch with, the lion's equivalent of a hand shake, but he placed it back down before Bakonga could touch it.

"Under one condition."

Bakonga sighed, his breath moving through Taka's patchy mane and he could smell the scent of carrion from it.

"What might that be?"

Taka pointed a paw over to Scar, talking to Syann as the two looked out of the cave together, as if planning. Now that he had calmed down; he took Syann's warnings about trackers to heart.

"If . . . He can go with me. He is very clever, just like me, he'll be of great help. Needn't worry about the trackers. We'll work something out, if you two would be of help."

Bakonga looked over at him, head tilted in thought. He twitched the tip of his tail, before glaring down at Taka again.

"I suppose - " He leaned in, his voice a mocking growl as he spoke. "Your lover can go with us. After all, the more we have together the stronger chance of success and survival we'll all have."

For as much as the big male intimidated, pried him, Taka couldn't deny it – he adored Scar. Deeply. He originally had only intended on using him to get food, to have someone protect him, but found himself looking at him differently. Defensively, he got into Bakonga's face with a snarl, knowing he had to tell Scar, but was terrified to do so, and Bakonga's prodding had brought that fear out in him.

"He's not my lover, you buffalo headed ninny!"

Bakonga held him down, without much effort, using only one paw. As with Syann, he wasn't the least bit threatened by the testy Scar.

"When I saw him tickling your belly, you had much the same look as Syann does when I groom her. It happens in lions sometimes, often when they can't get a mate. You were enjoying it, I saw your expression. Pure adoration and dare I say, for such a lion of wicked reputation, total innocence. Who would have thought?"

Just as Taka opened his mouth to retort, Bakonga cut him off. Going off on his defensiveness, it was apparent that Taka hadn't told Scar about his feelings.

"I'm a thief, I steal kills whenever I can and killed my own father and two rivals who sought my Syann. I'm not one to judge on morals, I'm just calling it what it is."

"It's not that! It's not like that at all!" Taka defensively hissed, only causing Bakonga to laugh a deep, chesty laugh, and attracting Scar's attention who was having a one on one conversation with Syann. He saw them touch paws in the corner of his eyes and might have seen a bit of flirting between them.

Bakonga quietened his tone, seeing the fear in Taka's eyes, perhaps taking a smidge of pity on him.

"Then, what is it?"

"Why must you know?" Taka whispered, still feeling that edge of defensiveness for his prying. "Why does my feelings towards my coalition partner matter to you? It's a personal issue."

Bakonga sighed, and stepped back after letting Taka go. "For the sake of the coalition. I can't have this thing started, only to lose members of it drop out because of personal issues with each other."

Scar smirked in the corner of his lips as he came over, stepping next to Bakonga, looking at both lions. There appeared to be some sort of heated debate amongst each other, before the dust settled. Taka sought refuge behind Scar, glaring at the two rogues.

"Getting to know each other, are we?" Scar teasingly questioned, curious as to what had gotten Taka's hackles up and required him to be held down.

Bakonga laughed, giving Scar a little shove of acknowledgement with his shoulder to the other's annoyance.

"You can say that! Seemed I touched on a touchy subject. "

Scar rolled his eyes, looking over at his coalition partner sharply. "Ah yes. He has been a bit touchy today. Something didn't quite turn out at first and was entirely my fault, apparently."

"Diva!" Bakonga whispered to him, leaning in.

"That's one word for him . . . " Scar muttered under his breath, watching as Taka glumly padded away from him to sit in the back of the cave.

"Ah, well. Welcome to the coalition, 'Aelurus'," Bakonga gave Scar a knowing eye, touching his paw against Scar's raised paw. "Syann and I will take our leave as you two "lovers" get back to your private time."

As he started to follow Syann out, he looked back at the two males. "We'll meet again, mid day, same place."

Something bothered Bakonga, and after Syann left the cave, he turned back to glance over his shoulder at them.

"But do work out whatever issues you two have with one another, for the sake of our coalition, us outcast lions mustn't be held down by internal struggles with each other."

Scar gave him a nod of acknowledgement, and when he left, he sharply looked over at Taka again.

"What did you say to him? What is he talking about 'internal issues'? What set you off? I need answers now!" Scar demanded, the tone sending Taka shrinking back to him like a scolded cub, his head low.

When he sat down next to Scar, Taka simply looked down at the ground, pawing idly at a scrap of bone, until Scar put his paw down on it and flicked it away. He looked at once shy and vulnerable when he looked up to him, his posture slumped.

"He . . . He called us lovers. He caught us grooming as you know, both of them did, but he implied that it was more than just . . . Coalition bonding. It was about the expressions I had."

Scar, stared ahead, looking out at the stars, the moon light reflecting upon his face. Taka looked out at with him, his head rubbing against his. It seemed like the right atmosphere to him, almost romantic.

"Yes, I clearly heard that myself, my hearing is just fine" Scar scoffed. "My question is, why did it set you off? Why did it care what he thinks? He came here, throwing his weight around, like his mate . . . "

Taka fell quiet again, once again looking down on the ground as Scar stood before him, blocking a clear path to the mouth of the cave, should Taka walk away from him to avoid talking to him again.

"Well?"

Taka's heart raced, preparing to run as fast and as far as he could possibly run in his condition, should he lash out. He wouldn't be able to go too far, Scar would surely catch up to him, even if he wasn't too better off. He felt very small as Scar stared on, silently pressing him to speak.

"The truth is . . . " He swallowed, his eyes flitting around nervously and he looked for an empty space in which Scar didn't block him, and not finding felt himself abruptly shut down, unable at the time to come up with some snarky retort to protect himself.

Scar saw the look of utter fear in Taka's eyes. What could he be possibly be so scared of? That pesky guilty feeling was sneaking up on him again.

"I'm not letting it go, Taka. Talk to me. If it's about Sarabi's attack - "

Taka shook his head, waving his paw for emphasis. "It's not about that . . . "

"Then what is it?"

Feeling defeated, Taka pulled himself out of that slouched posture and pressed his forehead to his, gently nuzzling. Scar closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "His" Taka had returned to him, the one who was flamboyant and flirted with him to try to get his way, who sassed him at every opportunity about everything from grooming to manes to the annual count of migrating wildebeest, but would always be deeply, annoyingly affectionate. He didn't like the Taka that sulked in the shadows, who didn't speak to him, who didn't feed his ego. It reminded him to much of his father, too much of . . . Himself.

There was a frightened shudder to Taka's voice, with a cautious paw, he placed it ontop of one of Scar's.

"I . . . I love you."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Whoops, just realized I had the wrong chapter in place. *facepalm* Fixed now.

**Of Late Sleep, and Getting Be Prepared**

by Roaming Tigress

The silence that Scar had following Taka's confession was agony to him; he searched his face for expression, either for good or for bad. There was little to be found and he awaited rejection, watching for changes in his body language, his face to tell him anything. He looked away, as if scared to see his reaction and slunk low to the ground, ready to move off.

"I know you do," Scar said, with warmth to his voice that he hadn't heard before, and he let out a light laugh.

"You've made that quite clear. I'm only surprised that . . . You haven't said so earlier before."

Taka nodded, his voice sad as he spoke, pawing idly at a pebble. "Yes . . . I was scared."

Scar shrugged, casually watching him, reading him. It was the second time he noticed that when Taka was feeling shy or hesitant about something, he'd paw at something, avoiding his eye contact. The two lions had known each other for only about three and a half weeks, but already were learning so much about each other, even when they didn't speak a word.

"My attitude wasn't – isn't - exactly warm and fuzzy - "

Taka slipped that angular head underneath Scar's chin, a paw reaching around behind his back, as if it was an embrace. He accepted Scar for who he was like and didn't want him to change.

"No, but I like your brooding. I find it attractive, if I do say so myself."

` "Which would explain why you never left," Scar laughed again, almost ruefully, and he teased, even then in that deadpan tone of voice.

"Had I known back then, when we met, that all it would take to get rid of you would be to sing silly little songs -

Taka was amused at this. "Well all that depends on the subject. If you sang songs about the butterflies and the bees then you'd have me taking off on three legs if I had to. If you sang silly little songs about hyenas falling into an overflowing pit of lava, then I might just join in."

Scar leaned in, scoffing. "Should I perhaps warm up my voice to sing about the butterflies and the bees?"

"If you want me to hit you," Taka 'warned', with a glint in his eye.

The tawny lion teased dryly, pawing the rock in which Taka was pawing towards him. "Terrified. You hit like a Caracal."

"I would . . ." Taka grinned, giving him a swat right back before dodging one from Scar.

Scar almost laughed at Taka's swat; even in a playful one, he barely touched him. "Now that as a Serval's swat. We'll need to work on that, maybe by the end of the week we'll get to cheetah level!"

Beyond the physical displays of affection, there were the little things. Scar would wake up and find a meaty bone by his side. There was the he odd small carcass, maybe a rodent, given his lack of hunting ability. These small gifts were treasures in which Taka took pride in giving him, he wanted to impress him in every was possible.

After stretching out the left leg that had given him trouble, Scar lead Taka away from the cave. The moonlight highlighted their ragged forms. At times they almost appeared ghostlike in how they moved; even limping there was a sort of slinking gait to them, and they seemed to walk in perfect unison as fireflies swerved around nearby.

"I will never forget how I met you. I gave you a fright when you realized I wasn't asleep for a change when you went in to steal more food, surely, but . . . You didn't leave. You flirted with me, you complimented me, you . . ." He paused, realizing.

"Treated me like a king."

Taka gave a bow of his head, letting his tail brush against Scar's. "Because to me, you are my king. You are my dark king of the shadows, who's brutality I cannot hold a candle to. For that, I will dutifully obey king's every wish and desire to the utmost of my ability."

Scar of course wasn't rejecting the other lion's praise of course, but he still dryly prodded. He rather liked bantering with a sassy Taka. "Dutifully obey your king's every wish and desire, you say? I suppose if I ordered you to play with the Black Mambas, you would do such?"

Taka pushed his head underneath Scar's, his voice a purr. "I would have to disobey that order, for who else would call you devilishly handsome?"

Scar dryly teased back. "Perhaps a honey badger, who's den I'd shove your head in for disobeying that order."

Taka murmured, rubbing his body against Scar's, loving it when he talked dark, and continued with his praise.

" . . . With your Roman nose, your eyes of amber . . . "

Scar nudged his head against the other male's, a smirk appearing in the corner of his lips and of course he was soaking in all the words of adoration. Taka did tend to get a bit flowery with his words, rather suspecting he enjoyed the sound of his own voice but he wasn't going to stop him.

"I was waiting for you to say something about my appearance," Scar's voice was a purr. "That is, aside from using it as an excuse to groom me."

"Which you outright rejected," Taka teased, giving him a little slam of his own body, and getting body bumped by Scar in return.

"If you recall, I gave in because you wouldn't relent."

Taka had rather proud of himself for the way he has managed to get his way. "I won't deny that I can be persuasive. I am something of a contradictory, willing to obey, to lavish praise, but also willing to do everything in my power to get what I want and need out of you."

"To my chagrin, I will admit that you are quiet good at the art of manipulation, and dare I admit it, part your charm. However - "

Scar waited for Taka to step in limp, before he placed a paw underneath, causing him to trip up. He looked down at him with a smirk.

"I have the same weapon."

Taka rolled over, looking up at him with an adoring smile. "I do like a good battle of the wills. Why scar our hides more than they already are when we can try to outsmart another, hmm?"

Still with that smirk in the corner of his lips, his eyes met with Taka's and he couldn't deny seeing the wit in them. Here he was, lying on his back at his feet, just as he did on the night of their meeting.

"I remember you lying at my paws, just as you are doing now. Over a disagreement of what name you should go under. You were trying appease me."

Taka looked a bit sheepish at that. It was the one battle in which he did not win with Scar, but noticing Scar was still watching him, he decided to flirt a bit. His manner was more coy than suave.

"Oh, I thought I would show off my amazing physique to you. It's good to make fine first impressions and all."

Scar rolled his eyes and let out a scoff. "You're ridiculous. Amazing physique indeed, you came in limping on all fours, your coat caked with blood and ash. You looked pathetic, then, and you still do, only maybe slightly less so now that some of those wounds are healing well."

That said, Scar flopped himself down, his head falling on the other lion's belly, his scruffy mane tickling him as he made himself comfortable. There wasn't much of a cushion for his head – only a smidgen of a paunch from eating a large meal earlier in the form of half a Gemsbok that he and Scar dragged back - but slightly more comfortable than a rock. It would be some time for Scar to be open about Taka, but for now . . . He was tired, but comfortable.

"It was one battle I had with you that I didn't win. I surrendered in that one, but I soldiered on and won the battle to get our coalition started."

Scar yawned, tired. Begrudgingly he was impressed by how Taka coaxed him into this plan. As of yet, it had been benefiting him as well. "Mhm . . . I fought the idea at first, but then . . . It made sense. Even the half mad are right occasionally. And you are a Scar, aftr all."

Taka felt proud of himself for that. He was about to speak, but Scar was dead to the world, soundly asleep on him. He smiled, and he himself soon succumbed to the need to sleep as well, under the stars that watched them from high above. Every now and then they would kick a hind foot or paw in their sleep, letting out little contented moans, looking as peaceful and innocent as a pair of cubs cuddled up in their creche.

The pair were so tired and in need of solid sleep, that they had slept until mid day. They had remained in the same positions, more or less, with the exception of Scar turning over onto his back. He was the first one to wake and squinted as he looked up into the sky to check the time of the day and groaned. He hadn't remembered sleeping in this late before.

"I loathe the sun . . . " Scar groaned, long been one to prefer the shadows than the bright sun, that his brother always preferred. Seeing that his companion was still fast asleep, he sighed and rested his head back down. No sense in getting up until he was; aside from nearly being blinded by the bright light, he felt like he was rejuvenated and in no hurry to get up and leave.

Scar remembered the meeting that they were to have in the mid day with their other coalition partners, but he didn't worry. They weren't too far from the den they wanted their meeting in. He kept his head on his companion's stomach and just breathed shallowly on him. He noted that the fur still hadn't grown back at all on his underside; maybe it'd always remain patchy like his mane, from damage from the burns and bite and claw marks. It added to his scruffy appearance, which Scar had found to be oddly endearing, as much as he had resisting finding anything physically about him remotely attractive.

True to their promise, Bakonga and Syann were approaching. The lioness leaned into her companion as the two came into her view, and smirked.

"Looks like they got their internal issues figured out."

Bakonga let out a laugh, observing Scar grooming his companion much as he did when they came to the cave, interrupting them.

"Yes, it would appear so."

Taka's eyes slowly cracked open, a smile appearing as he felt Scar grooming him. He lazily pawed at him when Scar tugged off a matt from his mane.

"Trying to make me more bald, are we?"

"You're slacking off on your grooming," Scar scoffed, shaking his head when he was teased in response.

"Mmm, maybe. But I couldn't ask for a better groomer."

Taka stretched out his forelimbs and turned his head when he noticed the approaching pair. He looked a bit apprehensive, remembering he didn't exactly get off on the right paw with them, particularly with Syann.

Scar sighed, looking over at his companion when he saw his head turning aside, wondering what he was suddenly looking at. His expression was stern.

"No sass this time, Taka. Syann is in charge now."

Taka grinned, giving him a swat. "Aw, come now, Scar. I was thinking I was a serious lion until I met you."

He re-positioned himself a touch, to give Scar a lick on his forehead when the other lion gave him a sharp look.

"And I adore you for it."

"I suppose we came at an awkward time again?" Bakonga teased, after making him let out a a giggled squeak with poke to his belly with a claw.

Taka grinned nervously, looking up at the massive lion that came into his view – and then Syann.

"Ah-ah, no, no. We just . . . Got up, you see. Thought we'd sleep in a bit, we haven't had much of it, you know."

Scar let out a massive yawn, and realizing he was still sprawled out with his head on Taka, he was a bit embarrassed and stirred to his feet, Taka following.

"My mad coalition partner is correct. I was terribly foot sore when I came back from the Pridelands and - "

Syann waved it aside. Her attitude was direct, no nonsense. She remained aloof to the affectionate nuzzling of the head that the two scarred-eyed males gave her, Taka's being in apologetic in manner, as trying to get on her good graces, much as the case was when he first met Scar.

"No need for the excuses. We're all here at the time we promised, that's what matters."

Bakonga gave Syann a rub of the head, and then, to Scar, and then Taka. "Yes. We regret to interrupt your late sleep in but we do come with the news that the trackers will be being sent in tonight. The wild dog pack is twelve strong and they intend on getting you holed up until the lionesses come over and find you."

The wheels in Taka's and Scar's heads were in motion. It was Taka that spoke first, he was more aware of the area than Scar. He knew Scar would be hesitant to move from where he was, but they had to, if there was any chance of them to survive. It was a moment in which Taka felt he could assert himself with his knowledge.

"The two of you of course call the Kube River your territory. There is a strange hill in which a giant millipede runs over."

Scar scowled, surely thinking Taka was having one of his episodes in which he gets visions of delusion; he himself had them of course, the last of which nearly cracked the other lion's skull. He gave Taka a sound slam of his body, that sent him back falling to the ground.

"I'm sorry, he's having one of his episodes again, I - "

Bakonga interrupted, raising a paw. He almost felt a bit of pity for Taka and he came over and nudged him back onto his feet. Taka thanked him and nuzzled his head against his.

"No, he's right. Millipede is the best way to describe it. It's huge, has a segmented body and roars like a bull elephant. Seems it built a strange trail to run across;, but unlike a proper millipede who can only eats whatever millipedes eat, this one will run over anything in its path, and just keep going."

Taka nodded. He remembered being curious about it when he strayed fro the pride as a cub. "I've seen it take out a rhino."

He noted the intrigued expression that his companion had. "It runs along its trail every midnight, we have plenty of time to be prepared if we start making our way over."

Syann nodded, licking a paw. Her voice was cold, calculated in tone. "Taka is the one they want, and it will be Taka the one who will lead the chase, and it will be him who will lead them right to the millipede."

Taka cringed at this, stepping back from the others. He had seen how fast it was, but then he considered. If he could lose the trackers that way . . .

"I will do it."

He started to lead the way, eager to get a head start of the dogs. Syann followed but not liking a male leading ahead of her, she quickly trotted ahead of him. Scar and Bakonga followed the other two, Scar lagging a bit, still sore and maybe a little uncertain about this. He sighed under his breath, watching the three pick up their pace faster.

"Taka, let this be one plan of yours that doesn't result in having you mauled . . ."


	6. The Giant Millipede

**The Giant Millipede  
**by Roaming Tigress 

Scar watched Taka pace to and fro ontop of the sparsely grassed knoll, watching, watching, watching. He maintained a sense of cool collective as he studied the horizon once he forced himself to just stand in place. He sighed, shaking his thinly maned head as he turned to Bakonga and Syann.

"Are you certain that they have his trail?"

As usual when she was thinking, the large, tawny lioness was licking her paw. "Quite certain. They came to the spot where he was last seen. Once the dogs have his trail, they'll track him and back in him into place, while one of them will get to the lionesses to finish him off."

The quite certain part didn't gather much confidence in Scar. He watched Taka stand as still as a statue, smelling the air when a gentle breeze swept through his patchy mane, now and then tipping his head to the sky but little to no other movement in which he saw. The scrub brush he was standing behind hid his kneading paws, which he did to mentally centre himself.

"He's so calm . . . " Bakonga noted, looking over him. He felt he was the more mentally fragile between the two, no doubting the hyena attack had did its damage to him and not just physically.

Scar nodded. "Taka has his moments. He's not all that well in the head, but - "

"Taka?" Syann raised an eyebrow.

"We're both Scars." Scar explained. "We couldn't use the same name of course, Taka was his birth name and it was Taka that we agreed upon." It was a slight lie, of course.

Bakonga rubbed his body up against Syann's side, clawing the ground a bit. He was eager to draw his claws into those patched canines. "No, I suppose not. I was named for a river, up in the north west. To think someone named their child after dirt, garbage . . ." He shook his thickly maned lion, watching the reddish lion.

"Aelurus was mine," Scar nodded. "I am uncertain as to its meaning, but it's quite strong sounding, though I was always the one that was shoved aside. I wasn't much of a use to my father once I got this scar, it marked me."

Syann studied this scarred male. "How did you get it?"

"I challenged my brother, Mufasa," Scar added quietly, dipping his head down for a moment. "I never challenged him again. Taka and I killed our brother – his was also a Mufasa – in jealousy and to unsurp the pride, by forcing him to fall down a gorge during a wildebeest stampede that got started by our then-allies, the hyenas."

Syann made a face of disgust. "I am quite aware of Scar – sorry, Taka's, reputation and came to be known for his reputation. I still cannot fathom how a lion could ever team up with our most mortal enemies."

Scar paused. "Desperate situations call for desperate measures - "

Bakonga cocked his head. "How could it be that both of you had the same back story? Coincidence? It could happen but . . . "

"Even that I do not know," Scar spoke almost mysteriously.

"I remember blacking out after the hyena attack and then, finding myself in this cave. In this land that looked somewhat familiar, but . . . Different. Certain characters such as yourselves, I was familiar with in my land. I even stole from you some time before the attack."

Syann remembered, and her ears folded back in anger, but he let Scar explain without being interrupted. It was a rarity for her as she was usually more than eager to cut someone off.

"Taka as well, remembered about as much as I did. He had some vague memories of jumping over the fire, getting the underside of his body burnt and hyenas with their coats on fire attacking en masse. And then everything came dark."

Syann was intrigued. Bakonga noted her patience, her lack of cutting the other off and noticed her concentration; she was practically staring at this other male, the tip of her tail twitching. Just as he was, she was was trying to figure out how this could have come together.

Scar almost laughed as he continued. He himself was still processing everything, things still didn't make sense to him, but he took everything day by day. Maybe one day he would wake up and find it was all part of some bizarre dream.

"It was about a week later when he came stumbling into the den, which he had been stealing my food from. I would go to sleep and then wake up with my meals missing, or maybe part of it. I thought maybe jackals, maybe a honey badger or such, but . . . It was that lion."

Bakonga cocked his head to one side. "And did you give him a sound thrashing for such? Not that I'm one to judge about stealing of course -"

"No," Scar laughed. "I did want to. But he . . . Charmed me. He was at once so bold and persuasive and he even flirted with me. Weaved in between my legs, rolled over onto his back, I could have torn into him at that point especially but . . . " He paused.

"I just couldn't. I killed my own brother, devastated my pride, but I couldn't put myself to kill him. Instead I agreed to form a coalition with that rascal, after all, us lions don't do so well on our own, particularly badly wounded ones."

Syann paused. She had of course seen Scar grooming him, going from Taka's expression was one of adoration, and his own was one of calm, but she wondered . . .

"Do you love him? As he loves you?"

Scar was quiet for a long moment, his expression contemplative. He was not as expressive in the face as Taka; his expressions were subtle, a lift of a brow, a curl of a lip, could say much without more than that. When he answered, it came across as the other two as neither a yes or a no answer.

"Taka treats me like a king. He will sass me, all the time, but he very generous in complimenting me." He made a face.

"And dare I say it, he can be . . . 'Sweet.'

Bakonga smiled, a genuine smile. He had found this relationship intriguing, and though he had preferred Taka over Scar – feeling almost brotherly and protective towards him – Scar was warming up to him, too.

"Sounds like a 'yes' to me, then."

Scar didn't answer. He instead studied Taka for a long moment and his ears perked when Taka lifted a paw. He had seen something but Taka remained silent, studying the horizon.

"Taka, do you see something?" Scar asked, coming up to join him on top of the hill.

The red-coated lion gave a nod. "I see their eyes . . ." He pointed his muzzle towards the horizon again, lifting a paw for emphasis. He didn't run yet, but his hind legs were bunched, ready to run as he waited for the right distance.

Bakonga and Syann gave them both a moment, before they too appeared up ontop of the knoll. Syann leaned in to check the distance of the height from the reflections of their eyes, to their height from the ground.

"Those would be the dogs . . . A few moments before the millipede will come by."

Behind them, beyond some distance, was the bridge in which the human designed train tress laid. It was a formidable steel and wood structure with went over the Kube River that carried both passengers and freight service. It was built some 24 years ago, and with the increasing human population coming through the brought new challenges to the wildlife in the area – poaching was one of them.

Still a considerable distance, the dog pack caught Taka's scent. They as well picked up the scent of the other two lions, but Taka's was discernible from the others; he still bore that burnt smell, no doubt a product of his healing even when he was still washed by his beloved Scar and made the odd trip to the watering hole for a soak.

"He has other two with him," the leader, a near white dog named Mbwa spoke, pausing to sniff some paw prints.

"A lioness, two males, plus Scar. It's only Scar we want. We'll get him holed up somewhere. When we do so, Spark, Stripe, I want you two head back to the pride and inform the pride. They'll send the lionesses out to dispatch him. We'll be rewarded well."

The dogs were well treated by the Pridelanders, whose appearance on the grounds wasn't entirely welcome at first but when they made good on their promise not to hunt more than needed, they were allowed to live on their lands. Out of gratitude for their acceptance, the dogs regularly made voluntary services to Simba in the form of tracking down intruding hyenas – and holding them until the y were seen off or dispatched. They were weaker physically than the hyenas, but were more determined and their stamina carried them over long distances, and this combined with their acute hearing, eye sight and sense of smell, they became a valuable addition to the Pridelands in keeping order.

Back with the lions, Taka kept vigilant, his paw still raised up to his chest. He wasn't still in the best physical health but he had healed enough to the point was confident he could run, perhaps not as fast or far but the "strange trail" was not too far.

"What we could do, is that when I'm running, the three of you could pick off some of the pack. It's me they want, they won't suspect you lying in wait."

With a whip of her tail, Syann laid her ears back with a growl and Taka shrank back. She didn't like others planning for her. He lowered his head and averted her glare in a signal of submission and respect.

"I do apologize for overstepping my boundaries, but - " 

Scar sighed, shaking his head. Taka would need to mind himself, he thought, around this lioness. She was a sharp one with a sharp temper and didn't take kindly to those pulling rank.

Syann calmed, and allowed Taka to apologetically nuzzle his cheek against her's. "I will let it go this time, but next time let me do the planning. As soon as they come closer, I want you to lead them to the millipede's tracks."

Taka looked back at the bridge, just as Scar did. Both were studying it, trying to work out a way they themselves would escape the "millipede" while picking off the dogs. Taka had a plan and didn't let it get out of his mind; he had it in his claws.

"As you lead them away, Taka, the three of us will pick out some of the pack," Syann instructed.

"You are a bit woolly-headed but once in a while a bright spark comes to life in in it."

Taka smirked at this. He did blame his trauma for the occasional addled-mindness, but broken mind or not – and it had been broken prior to the hyena attack - it was something he took pride in.

"I was long known for my brain power, "Taka bragged, causing Scar to scoff.

"Best to get used to it," the other scarred lion mumbled under his breath to the lioness. "He does like to brag about it."

Quite suddenly, as if he had just seen something, Taka half reared up n his hind legs, placed a paw around behind the neck of his beloved Scar and pressed his head against his. He felt his heart racing. The time for the arrival of the "milipede" was near and at once he felt nervous and excited as he whispered. He spoke a little louder than a whisper when he heard the roar of the train whistle, in the background.

"If I die . . . I need to hear from you . . . If you love me."

Scar froze, he intended on telling what he had felt for him – on his own terms. He felt put on the spot and he hissed out a whisper, still dodging the question. As he saw the other lions take their place along the train tracks, the "trail", he spoke up a bit louder.

"Taka, don't be ridiculous. You survived the hyenas. You'll survive the wild dogs."

Taka shrank, as if in pain. He was desperate to hear a 'yes', or a 'no' out of him. He looked to and fro nervously. Not so much scared of the dogs, they weren't hyenas after all and he was confident he could even kill a few himself, but rather missing the time where the "milipede" ran – and what Scar could possibly say.

"Scar, please . . . "

The other male sighed, looking around, as if someone was hearing.

"Taka, I . . . "

_'__Don't say it, don't give in . . . ' _

Scar considered how he felt when Taka spoke so highly of him, like a king. How meticulous he was in grooming him, just as much so as the grooming Scar gave him. How he admired Taka's smarts in spite of his insanity, how that charm was rubbing off on him for as much as it had bothered him. He thought of how strange it felt when Taka had that moment he wasn't taking to him. He thought of that unyielding affection, and thought how the harder he fought against his feeling towards this lion who stole his stolen goods, the more he felt himself yielding.

Scar thought of the way Taka moved, even with his limp, he thought of how he had a fluid gait, elegant, even evident in his currently frail and bony built. How expressive he was with his paws, for as much as he had mocked him for it. There was that voice, distinct, smooth as silk, and at times, particularly when he was flirting, suave, sounding at times like a purr. Appearance wise, for as scruffy as Taka was in his current state, he found some fine points on him; those green and yellow eyes gleamed with expression; his narrow, pointed head was unlike any lion's he's ever seen. He imagined Taka's mane growing in rather nicely, if even if it wouldn't grow to be particularly long.

Perhaps there was something about how pitiful Taka was looking. Scar rarely took pity on such creatures, they were usually viewed as meals – and that thought did come to him that night he stumbled into the cave. __

_'What__ am I doing?!'_

The dogs were coming into the view. It wasn't the time.

"Taka, RUN!" Scar roared, and though with a disappointed, even hurt expression, Taka obeyed his order.

As he himself moved himself into place, Scar watched Taka take off towards the dogs, and though there was still a limp to his step, he moved faster than he thought. He noticed how _confident_ he looked; for a coward, he knew he could be bold. What a wondrous contrary he was, he admitted; one moment he'd be willingly and confidentially risking death, the next moment he'd be cowering if he'd be looking at him the wrong way. No doubt his trauma had taken a toll, softening him to some point.

Lying in wait, Bakonga, Syann and Scar were patient. They wouldn't rush the dogs head on, but would get them from them from behind as they passed by, in pursuit of Taka. Their muscles taut, their bodies pressed to the ground, they were deadly confident that it would all go well.

And thus far, it did. Taka appeared a moment later, and though limping, he was as fleet as could be, the dogs in tow. He could ear their excited, birdlike squeaks, Mbwa's orders and it thrilled him. As his fellow lions came into view he picked up the pace some, looking back over his shoulder and kept his pace. Everything was going according to plan.

The "millipede" was approaching, at top speed. The dogs in pursuit of their prey with such focus that they hadn't acknowledged that three of the trailing dogs were picked off at once by Scar, Syann, Bakonga with near surgical precision. Having never encountered one before, nor where they aware of how dangerous this huge, grey "millipede" really was.

Taka was nearly blinded by the bright light from the 'eyes' of this strange "millipede" and for a moment it stunned him. Mbwa was catching up, he could smell that musky smell that the wild dogs had; he could his growl with contempt. He rushed head on, each foot now aching him for he hadn't run this hard for some time.

And then he jumped.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Capture**

by Roaming Tigress

The water below churned Taka's form in deep, throwing him against rocks, no doubt cracking more ribs. The lion fought valiantly to get his head back out of the water and with one more powerful surge, he managed to do so. At this moment he treated the water like the flames that burnt his body and still gave issues to his feet and it fed his thirst for survival. That said, he was sure he wasn't in the mood to be drinking any more water than he already took in.

Floating by was the ragged body of Mbwa, and then several other carcasses of his canine comrades. He hadn't seen something to damage like that before.

'You have more lives than a cat, Taka.'

"We won, we won . . . " Taka spoke to no one in particular, not quite realizing that he wasn't in the company of his leonine companions.

On the other side of the River was the Pridelands. He tried desperately to fight the current to get to the Kube River territory, but exhaustion finally forced him to let the current take him to where it wanted to go to – The Pridelands.

Taka had ever intention of crossing that 'trail' to get to the other side. He was desperate to see his little pride again, to groom that ragged mane of Scar's, to even see Syann and was sure that Bakonga would crack a joke about his appearance and adventure. But they won. Their first mission together was a success.

On the Kube River territory, Syann, thinking Taka had perished after leaping into the water, turned back and was on her way to her den to rest. She left Bakonga and Scar beyond.

Bakonga let out a sigh, sitting next to Scar by the riverside. "If there's one thing I know about that lion, is that he's a survivor. I'm certain he's made it. Just give him time."

For a moment, Scar was silent. And a feeling he hasn't felt for a while . . . Vulnerable. He let out a roar, calling to him. And then another, and another. His notched ears turned towards the water, hoping to hear Taka call back in response.

There was none.

"He asked me if I loved him."

Bakonga noticed the choke to his voice. He looked to the ground, and dare he say it, saddened. He followed him as Scar started to walk along the edge of the river, in desperate search for him. The faded moonlight made this difficult.

"I . . . I didn't have much feeling towards him before, hated him for what he did, hated that he stole from us, but . . . " He sighed.

"Over this little time, I've been feeling protective of him. Like a big brother. I would tease him, sure. But I never felt any ill will towards him. We didn't get off the best of ways, of course. "

Scar sighed, shaking his head. "You are a massive boulder of a lion, but a bit of a softy. We intended on joining up with other rogues, pirates really, ended up with a giant softy for second in command."

"Speak for yourself," Bakonga scoffed. "You might not be admitting to it to me, but you wouldn't be this broken if you didn't care bout him this much."

Scar still couldn't say the words. But he was right, and too gutted to fight him. "And I haven't told him . . ."

In the river, Taka dug his nails into a large bounder, gasping, panting, desperate to hold on. With one large woosh, however, the water violently careened him down around the turn of the river, and hitting him hard against several rocks. He roared in pain at each hit, before he was silenced when this time, it was his head was struck.

The darkness made the search difficult, but Scar pressed on. "I wish I hadn't let myself get attached . . . " He sighed.

"I really fought hard, I really did."

Bakonga also let out a heavy sigh. "It . . . Happens. There's little room to judge among us pirates. "

Scar growled, his ears flattened. "It's not even that, I don't care if you disapproved. I had no intention on letting myself get attached to him. I was only going to use him as I'm sure he intended on doing, just to fill his gut."

His eyes softened, along with the tone of his voice. "But . . . I think Taka was lonely. After even a few days his level of affection went higher than if it was mere coalition bonding, or to butter me up so I wouldn't throw him out for using me. Even the flirting, should have been a giveaway to me but I thought that was just him manipulating me, and in a big way he did, but I suspected, him being a Scar and all, was just him playing tricks with my mind."

Bakonga fell silent, just letting him speak. Only after there was a long moment of silence between them, as Scar returned to the spot in which he saw Taka take the plunge it not he river, that he spoke up.

"Perhaps the powers that be created some welding of the universes, or some greater power brought you together." It was the only thing that Bakonga could theorize, how it came to be that they would be together.

Scar spoke quietly, the only words he spoke for the remainder of the night. He sat down, his heart heavy.

"I have thought . . . Of something like that. The Great Kings of The Past intended on punishing us, for our sins."

Only for them, what was intended on being punishment, had created the formation of soul mates between them both.

Scar remained by the river's edge, next to Bakonga. He sat waiting, silent. Over time he fell asleep, and he would dream of that flamboyant lion, greeting him. Though he never thought he would make it feel this way towards Taka, that dream would make him miss him.

On the edge of the river, Taka laid on the shore, breathing but barely. When he lifted his head, he felt incredibly dizzy but he still forced himself up. With wobbly legs he squinted towards the bridge and sighed when it was out of view. Too far. He would have to lie up somewhere and get back over the Kube River later on, when the sun would come up.

Dragging exhausted paws, he slowly made his way up the embankment. He still felt vulnerable out on the open, especially without Scar near to help him feel protected and sought something, maybe some scrub bush to lie under until morning. Yes, that would be ideal. There was some just ahead and he didn't care that it had thorns; it would provide him some protection.

Only it was a trap.

Stepping his right paw through a hole in the shrubbery, something grabbed him and when he pulled away from it with an angry roar, it only tightened. He reached down to bite it off, thinking maybe it was just some sort of strange vine, very thin but had a different sensation. He tried to bite through it, but it had only cut his lips and his gums.

"Go and attack the wildebeest, grass. I don't eat you. It's them who are the enemy!" He hissed; feeling almost like he was hallucinating.

What Taka had gotten trapped in was a poacher's snare. He snarled and spit again as he tried again to pull in different directions, only for it to slice further into his leg. What had been an irritation, an annoyance that stopped him in his tracks, was now something that was starting to scare him. It wasn't letting him go. He felt dizzier still and then found himself tripping over himself, weak, his head pounding.

"Scar, Scar . . . " Taka let out a series of soft roars, trying to roar as loudly as possible but each roar made his ribs burn with pain and he gave up in his weakened state.

Despite his state of mind, his aches, his pain, his fear, that dizziness, there was still that intelligence knocking around in his head. He abruptly gave up fighting whatever it was that was holding onto him. In his foggy state of mind, his reasoning would be that maybe if he stops, the "grass" would stop biting into him.

Even still, Taka passed out, and would not wake up until the sun rose.

When he awoke, his head still ached, his vision still blurred, feeling as if everything was spinning around. Taka squinted in the sun and slowly got to his feet, but just as slowly sank back to the ground, cowering when he saw a large, powerful looking golden lion with a red mane heading towards his direction. His hallucination state had not let up.

"M-Mufasa?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: Anonymous, that is a very interesting idea! I might just do it. Thanks for the input and so far you're the first to leave a review. **

**Always My Brother**  
by Roaming Tigress

As the lion approached closer, at once Taka's body language was one of terror, submission and hope – he had missed his brother, more than he ever thought he would. With everything he had done, he was foggily aware that he wasn't going to get an easy reunion, if he was indeed at the Great Kings of The Past; but shook up and banged up and knocked about from the jump from the bridge, his sensibility was clouded.

"I missed you, brother . . . " He swallowed hard, and awkwardly, with his front foreleg pulled back, he half hobbled, half threw himself at the golden lion, desperate to have contact with him.

Indeed, he did make contact with him – with a roar, followed by a hard smack that sent him flying back.

"I am so sorry, so sorry . . ." Taka half whispered, half cried, lying in a bony, crumpled heap.

Only this lion he cowered before wasn't Mufasa.

It was Simba.

A very tense, angry Simba.

"How dare you still be alive . . ." The king's voice might of have been ,made out of acid for it ate deep into the other lion as if it was.

Taka sank lower to the ground when he hard him growl, trying to make himself look as small and helpless as possible. His head, his paw, his ribs, ached terribly and he was still hallucinating, but moreso, his heart was going to give him the biggest ache.

"Brother, please pass your judgment on me."

The other lion leaned in and growled, deep from withing his chest. Every fiber of his being embroiled in rage. He had filled out more the last time they met, even his mane was thicker, and it did nothing to Taka's state of mind.

"I am not my father. How dare you even utter his name!" He did not trust his uncle to not attack him, in spite of his body language; he had been fooled by that and kept out of striking distance; but raised a paw as if to strike him once again.

Taka shuddered as he saw the blur of his paw, the hallucinations he was experiencing seemed to be shutting down what was being spoken to him. He spoke rapidly, a nervous stammer to his voice.

"W-water, there was a lot of water, brother . . ." He swallowed hard, wanting so much nuzzle his mangy mane against 'Mufasa's thick one, to comfort himself, maybe to soothe his 'brother's' anger.

"Getting out . . . Getting out I walked up here when I was attacked by the grass. It grabbed me, Mufasa." He pitifully held up his snared paw and he yelped, for even moving it caused him great pain.

Simba still kept himself away from his uncle's unwanted attention with a growl, leaving him even more scared, more insecure. He noted the pathetic condition his he was in; he had long known him to be rawboned individual, but now he looked fail, with a scattering of wounds, both healing and more recent throughout his body. He was surprised that the smack he had given him hadn't killed him.

Taka's vision still blurred he saw a fuzzy visual of his 'brother' moving into position to attack, looking for the right angle to attack. He shrank back down again, his paw still held out to him, as if in a gesture of 'I'm helpless, help me, don't hurt me.'

"Y-y-you your see? Grass doesn't attack, does it? It attacked me, maybe angry I had it caused it to break up and g-get set on fire."

The young king's eyebrow raised as he backed away some more. _'Attacking grass, what is he talking about? Has he lost it all the more?' _

Then, Simba saw the reasoning of why his uncle hadn't got up and left; the wire of a snare, the light reflecting the shine of the material with a menacing glint. It went from tightly gripping onto his large paw, to being attached firmly to the base of an Acacia tree. There were claw and bite marks on the bark from desperate attempts to free himself, and saw blood on it wire itself.

He could have killed his uncle right there and then, and he was still surprised that strike hadn't finished him off. For all the fury he had felt at seeing him still alive, however, it didn't seem right. Now now, not when he was caught in a man-thing. He took some steps back, further out of touching distance from Taka as he looked to the sky.

"Father, what am I to do? I _hate_ him – "

He closed his eyes, feeling a cool breeze move through his mane. A cold chill ran through him when he heard his father's distinctive, deep voice.

"Simba, do what I would have done – "

The red maned let out a silent gasp, looking to the sky.

". . . Save him, father?"

Taka heard the roar of his brother's voice and cowering into a tight ball, he tightly shut his eyes. Surely this was the moment of judgement. He didn't dare look. He was afraid to see his expression. At once he wanted to wrap his paws around him in a leonine embrace, thje next, cowardice gave in and he couldn't look.

Then he felt those words from his brother had finally registered. '_Save him. __B-but, I am still alive . . . Surely, I must still be alive. __I shouldn't be, but I am, __by some sort of miracle__.__'_

"Yes, Simba. Save him."

_'__S-Simba?'_

As Taka opened his eyes, his vision was becoming more clearer. Indeed the lion he had been cowering before, wanted so much to nuzzle his head against, to say so much to, wasn't his brother and the realization had hit him hard. Still remaining in his cowered position, he placed his good paw over his eyes and started to cry, silently as possible, as if shielding himself from any judgemental glares.

The golden lion was dumbfounded by his father's words. All his focus was his father's voice, not on the miserable creature next to him. At this time, he was dead to him.

"Father, he killed you – nearly killed me. Devastated the pridelands, and when he was still alive, he stole from our lands!"

Mufasa's voice remained regal, calm, even soothing.

"I have saved him, for he is capable of being worthy of being given a second chance. He is not ready to join me."

Those words made Taka feel even worse. Now he had felt like he had felt like he had been kicked in his bald-as-a-naked molerat gut. Guilt was eating away at him; he felt he wasn't worthy.

"Don't . . . Don't bother, brother," Taka plead, his voice but a plaintive whimper.

Simba said not a word to Scar, still registering everything himself, pacing a short distance. He wanted desperately to argue with the one he looked up to, and loved with all his heart. He still couldn't fathom why his father wanted to give him a second chance, after everything he had done. Perhaps . . . He was more forgiving than him.

Mufasa's voice started to fade. "Free him Simba . . ."

Before his voice faded away completely, he addressed Taka.

"My brother . . . Always my brother."

Taka's tears only flowed more. Heartbroken, he was completely heartbroken, wishing he could go back in time, to change things, to go back to those few happy moments of the two during their most innocent times. He still tried to hide his face from Simba, who was cautious in his approach, still not trusting him.

"Scar . . . I will free you, in the condition you don't try anything." There was at once caution and anger in the king's tone – and at once, both lions were cautious, even afraid of each other, uncertain as to what they would truly do each other.

The older lion laid out on his side at Simba's approach, lifting his snared paw. "It cuts in. It's biting me, the grass -"

Simba started to approached, his tail tip twitching in uncertainty. He grumbled under his breath, looking Taka over, rolling his eyes at what he perceived as inane ramblings. It wasn't news that his uncle was a tad mad; even as a cub though he liked him then, he was even then considered the "strange" one. And it was definitely verified when he came to challenge him, and hence he didn't trust that his uncle wasn't putting on some sort of act.

The king of Pride Rock had long been wanting to do right by his father, ever since he was a tiny cub. This wish of his father's was perhaps the hardest thing to swallow – and he thought his wish for his son to take his place at Pride Rock was the hardest challenge.

"The hyenas did a number on you, haven't they?"

The very mention of the species spent a wave of panic and paranoia in Taka, his heart pounding. _'__Simba__'s with them, the hyenas, he worked with them to __try __kill me. __It was him that relayed my words of betrayal to them._' He hadn't thought that they could have overheard him.

"NO, NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! LET ME EXPLAIN, NO, NO!" Taka cried out – the last words he remembered speaking in that eventful night.

With his last surge of energy and strength that he felt he had, Taka suddenly, violently jumped into the air, as if the flames and snapping jaws of the hyenas were closing in him once again. He just as quickly was thrown back down, hitting the ground hard. It was as if he had 'forgotten' that his paw was still ensnared.

Simba was shocked at his uncle's violent fit, flashback . . . Whatever it was. He stepped back, his heart racing. He was still wary as he watched Taka emotionally break down before him, as if he had given up . . . But he wasn't sure he had. He wasn't sure that if he came up to him that his uncle would again sink his claws and teeth in him.

Before his nephew, Taka's tears returned. Of pain – the snare had tightened deeper into his hide – and terror. He laid where he had fallen, back on his side, his paw held out by the very end of the snare. In his current fragile state, he was convinced the hyenas were still after him, Simba had sent them again, that is why the 'grass' had attacked him, so that they could finish what they were left off to do – and he hadn't the energy nor strength to get away, to fight.

Taka's voice was tired, broken. He had started to cry again, and this time he made no effort to hide the tears.

"I . . . Surrender. I give up."

Having been tricked by him before, Simba was still understandably wary. He watched carefully, the tip of his tail moving with questioning, before he slowly moved his way over. Giving his uncle freedom would be what his father had wanted – he considered if he attacked again, he would back off, leave Taka to whatever fate would await him, which he had originally felt like doing – but as he told Scar on that night, he was not like him.

"You can finally have me, hyenas . . . I . . . " Taka plaintively plead.

"I have no fight in me anymore."

Wincing in pain, Taka also considered Scar – how he had had foggy memories of asking the other lion, the "other Scar", if he had loved him. He didn't remember hearing an answer from him and just cried harder. At once he was desperately wanting comfort but at also feeling as if he didn't deserve it.

Simba had more questions, stopping himself from coming closer. What was he speaking about, hyenas, getting him again? He heard him talking to himself, something about 'do you love me, Scar.' He had surely gone madder, now talking about himself in third lion?

"Help him, Simba . . ." Mufasa's voice whispered, seemingly coming from the branches of the Acacia tree, the light dappling through the fresh leaves which was starting to regrow.

Simba suddenly, not expecting to hear his father's voice again so soon. His heart raced. He remembered, simple plan, should he attack . . . But it was as if his father was not so certain of his intentions, and needed a gentle, but firm push.

"Brother, brother . . ." Taka whimpered when he heard Mufasa's voice again, shivering from pain and felt utterly exhausted from everything happening at such a rapid speed, but slowly calmed when he felt a warm breeze through his mane – what was left of it, anyways.

The look of terror and sadness on his scarred face, slowly melted into a smile. A genuine, warm smile. He had felt his brother's presence, his warmth.

"I love you, too, brother . . ."

Taka saw Simba's large shadow cast over him and made neither a defensive nor offensive reaction when he saw this. It was as if it was the shadow was one that belonged to his beloved Scar – or maybe once again, his brother.

Simba sat on his haunches, wincing when he saw how tight of a grip that the wire noose had on his uncle's paw. He considered how to remove such a brutal thing, he saw the blood on the wire from Taka's attempts to bite through the wire. There had to be another way.

"Scar . . ." It still felt foreign to help this pitiful creature, that had caused him so much pain. "Can you move up a little ways? Maybe you can loosen it some."

Wincing, Taka slowly got to his feet, and hopped a little ways forward. He licked at his paw worryingly, and ended up cutting his tounge in doing so.

"It's biting me, Simba – " He stopped licking and sat back on his haunches, his head low in defeat.

"There's no hope, nephew. The grass captured me, in revenge. You sent the hyenas to finish me off, that's why I'm trapped – "

Simba spoke firmly, a growl to his voice. "I did not send the hyenas to you, and you don't have grass attacking you. It's a snare, Scar, a snare. Man created it."

Taka lowered his head some more. "I'm . . . Sorry." He looked to the ground, ashamed, for his state of mind.

"Maybe . . . Maybe if you can get your claws in there. Pull it out."

Simba paused, considering this. It sounded simple; it would require close contact – and require the trust that neither had for each other.

"I thought of doing it myself, but . . . It'd be best for it to be be pulled away from me, isntead of back towards me."

Simba was taken aback by how sane Taka sounded now. He shook his head, though, choosing to stay on focus.

"Very well. Lay still and if you bite me, I will bite or claw you back. You understand?" He growled, his nose nearly touching his uncle's.

"Yes . . . " Taka nodded, and he laid half o his side, half on his chest, his front legs stretched out in front of him.

"Your majesty."

Simba remembered the last time Taka spoke those words – and a second later, came the embers flying into his face. He stared sharply into Taka's eyes, remembering that vividly, until the smaller lion looked away, moving his entrapped foreleg towards him.

There were no embers this time, only the scared face of his uncle as he laid his head down on the ground between his forelegs, and a cautious king who was still uncertain as to if his uncle would turn on him again.

"This may hurt," Simba warned, his voice at once shaky but firm. "But if you bite me – "

When Taka felt the first claw dig in to feel for the wire, he buried his face into Simba's mane, grimacing in pain. Feeling this, Simba froze, wondering if this was something he should be alarmed, a part of him thinking he might have been adjusting himself to find the right place to bite him, but then he found regained confidence. He kept hearing his father's voice echoing from within; 'free him, Simba,' "help him."

"Hurts . . . Burns . . . ." Taka hissed in pain, shivering, gritting his teeth. His claws dug into the ground, scratching.

"Hold still!" Simba ordered, and he let out a breath of relief Taka obeyed, but froze again when he felt his head move.

Nuzzling, he was only nuzzling. The growl he thought he first heard from his uncle was a low 'purr' to comfort himself and to maybe calm Simba as well. Maybe, just maybe – both lions weren't out to hurt each other.

"It's . . . It's coming out, is it?" Taka asked, afraid to look.

Simba sighed, almost rolling his eyes. These hyenas really did do a number on him. "You're telling me you can't even take a peek?"

"N-no . . ." Taka answered quietly, a little ashamed. "I-It's less painful, I think, if I'm not watching."

Although is guard wasn't down, Simba was beginning to think his uncle was being genuine. He was vulnerable, frightened – and maybe a little sad, about something he was silent about. Something within him broke after that confrontationm, he thought. He didn't speak as Simba continued to set to work on his paw, when he was hurting he let out a hiss of pain but he didn't lash out. He kept his muzzle underneath his own, his breathing shaky in between that 'purr.'

Then, suddenly, Taka was free of the wire which held him.

"It's gone, Scar."

Though his paw was still aching, black maned lion was awashed with relief. Instead of just hobbling off right away as Simba had thought he would do, Taka pressed his forehead against his own. He closed his eyes for a long momentm and then turned, and left.

Simba watched his uncle leave, holding up his injured paw up as he half loped back towards the river. He heard very distant roaring and Taka roared back, rattled roars, but roars nonetheless. He had formed a pride already, he thought, and he narrowed his eyes as he had considered who he could have joined forces with.

Simba wasn't entirely convinced this encounter wasn't some sort of weird dream – and perhaps, Taka felt the same.


	9. To Be Loved

**Author's note: I apologize for the lack of updates; I was away in beautiful B.C for the week and managed to get some chapters in during the quiet evenings and early mornings but thought I'd wait til I get home to edit and put them up; something about that pacific air creates creativity!**

**To Be Loved** by Roaming Tigress

To be lived, accepted, was what Taka had long sought - and he finally had it. It seemed like a dream, some fantastical dream, and he didn't want it to end. The stars above and the flitting fireflies bore unjudged witness to the moment before. The two lions of the same name, the same back story, the same scar had consummated their relationship. They laid under the stars, both sprawled out; Taka, ever affectionate, had his head rested against Scar's.

"So, I have no worries about you trying to wrap Syann around your dewclaw," Scar half laughed. "I did seriously consider pushing you towards Syann, you know. But then . . . When you told me about your encounter with your nephew - our nephew, I became possessive."

A wide smile appeared on Taka's face. "I like you being possessive of me. You got possessive of me when I didn't even flirt with him. A real Scar does get jealous after all. "

Scar scoffed. "You showed him your belly - "

"I lied," Taka jovially admitted. "I wanted to make you jealous. I just cowered, and at most turned over on my side when he approached. Half of the reason was because the snare made any position awkward to stay in. I thought it was my brother. I was having one of my episodes."

Scar looked over Taka with a glare. "You devil cat. But I suppose you wouldn't be a Scar if you didn't lie."

"I suppose I can get a few things right . . ." Taka smirked, and he batted at a few fireflies, looking at them with cublike fascination. Scar studied Taka for a long moment. He truly had been more affected by the hyena attack than he had, he both thought, and observed. At times, reverting to a cublike state. Taka of course had the same Scar-ish tendencies as himself: the brains, the manipulation, the lying, but then there were moments like this. He seemed so . . . Innocent, at times as if he was living out the cubhood he had wanted so badly. Perhaps, when comfortable, he was.

These moments had given Scar another feeling unexpectedly; a feeling of protectiveness. He leaned his head around, and gave him a nuzzle. He of course had no plan giving up his dominance over him, but with moments like this, only needed gentleness.

"Yes, yes you can," Scar spoke quietly, giving the firefly batting Taka a gentle kiss to his cheek. Just as the case with Scar, Taka craved praise. "Do tell me, what else am I good at?" He in return gave Scar a kiss to his cheek. "My poor, fragile, damaged ego is yearning for your wisdom."

Scar purred, closing his eyes. He was happy to feed his ego, just as Taka was happy to feed his. "Love. Giving me unconditional love. From day one." "Day one?" Taka would have been blushing if he could. "I thought I could be subtle . . . "

Scar scoffed, but a smile appeared in the corner of his lips. "You flirted. Boldly, from day one. You were subtle though, in other ways. Bringing me mice and bones and small carcasses and such. Then there was that tortoise that I spent time on cracking open. I thought it was rather charming, my pet."

Taka nuzzled into Scar's scruffy mane. He loved the smell of him. "I was feeling a little shy about just declaring my love. Thought you might . . . " He looked shy for a moment.

"Chase me away, or attack me."

Scar understood, and he half half smiled, half frowned. His voice was quiet. He rubbed his head against Taka's. "I really have intimidated you to that degree, haven't I?"

Taka sat up and then positioned himself so that his chest was lying on top of Scar's. He smiled. "Just enough to let me know who the king is, but not enough to drive me away. I rather enjoy you bossing me around." He frowned a bit, though.

"I thought though, you might have put me aside for Syann, though."

Scar rested a paw against Taka's cheek. "No, no . . . She is all Bakonga's girl. He told me he's sterile but she rejects all courting attempts from other males and he backs her up. He is very kind to us, really, but if I attempted, he would have given me a sound beating and have me running behind you for protection."

Taka laughed. "And I'm terribly afraid I wouldn't offer very good protection. I suppose I could snarl and maybe give a swipe of my paw." When he was healthy, in spite of his cowardice he was a decent fighter when the opportunity arose but doubted his ability now, as did his mate.

"Going to need a bit more than that. Maybe you can try to flirt and charm him into distraction while I make a quick get away," He paused. "Speaking of, I do think he has a bit of a crush on you."

Taka considered. Though he bullied him on their first encounter, the big lion did rather hold him snug and there were times he got protective of him.

"I think you're right. I thought he was taking on some sort of a big brother figure but . . . " Taka was intrigued, prodded a bit. "Think you'd fight him over me?"

"Maybe."

Scar's smile returned when he saw Taka's coy smile. "Another thing you are good at, is just 'knowing' me. You just get me and seem to know what I feel or think before I even show it. Never known anyone to do that."

"Kindred spirits . . . " Taka whispered, looking into his eyes. Right now it was him that was taking on a more dominant position and Scar was fine with it.

"Sounds a bit naff, but I suppose you're right," Scar scoffed but looked into his eyes. "You are, and I am not one to use the word, and looking beyond committing the same crimes as I have. . . Very sweet. I haven't known anyone to be so affectionate. You're always nuzzling me and 'purring' and rubbing up against me and grooming me. And not so subtly asking for affection when you roll over into your back looking positively both ridiculous and . . . " To Taka's amusement, he made a face as if he tasted something bitter, but reached a paw over to scritch a bit at Taka's lean flank as he said the word.

"Adorable."

Taka purred, closing his eyes at the contact, just furthering Scar's point. He tried to halfheartedly argue that it was just part of act to keep Scar all to himself.

"I am not!" Taka snorted. "In my prime I'm quite attractive, with my ravishing mane and sleek red coat, delicately accented with cream, but that 'adorableness' is an act, all an act so that I can worm my way under your skin and get everything I need and want out of you."

Scar had to laugh. "In other words, you're a parasite! Maybe the ever pleasant ringworm? Maybe some sort of mite infection?

"You could say that, yes, and I wasn't exactly invited in!" Taka grinned, still proud of himself for that.

"And another thing, you are rather good at?" Scar shook his head. "Sassing.'

Taka winked. "I consider myself something of an expert, yes, if I do say so myself."

Scar just had to roll his eyes. "Self awareness is another trait . . . "

After a few more scritches, Taka was soon putty in his paws once again. Scar had to smile, and considered himself the victor as Taka washed his battle scarred face.

"As a matter of appearance, there is something about you," Scar murmered. "Utter elegance in spite of your scruffiness and bony frame. I love to just watch you move; even with your limp, there's a certain smoothness in your gait. You skipped across that ground with the dogs going after you, even with you still being off in your back legs."

Taka closed his eyes, purring. "Now you're making me feel beautiful."

"Hah, you're full of yourself," Scar scoffed, kneading his flank with his claws. "You know you're handsome."

In midst of the affectionate moment, darkness loomed in the form of shadowy figures lurking in the bush

The hyenas have returned.


	10. Live Bait

**Live Bait**  
by Roaming Tigress

Just as it appeared as if the herds were returning to the Pridelands from their former glory, mysteriously, the herds were starting to diminish - and Simba had his his suspicions.

Taka was the first suspect. After all, Sarabi had caught him in the act of thieving. As his uncle pitifully, submissively laid on his side before him at his approach, Simba saw the bitemarks which bore proof of Sarabi's encounter with him - as well as a slightly rounded belly which suggested he likely ate a stolen meal. There was also Zazu's report on the impala calf that Taka had taken -just shortly after Taka had been rescued. This was news that didn't surprise Simba for as much as it enraged him.

Then there were the rogues, Syann and Bakonga. It was common knowledge that the two had stolen food from the Pridelands. Much to Zazu's chagrin, they returned to their territory before they were punished. Their thievery had no bounds, even going as far as herding herds to their land. With abundant food and water, the herds rarely returned to the Pridelands, only doing so in times of seasonal changes.

Simba then remembered his uncle, once he was freed and wordlessly thanked him for his freedom, roaring back to some distant lions. The idea he formed a coalition with Bakonga and Syann was a very real possibility.

Then there was "Aelurus." Awarded with a nice chunk of territory for "killing" Taka, Sarabi was less than fond of the choice of her son's, for Taka was about to be her prey before he showed. Since that gift was given, the pride hadn't seen Aelurus. Yet, Simba had no proof of his wrongdoing.

Zazu shook his head, letting out a sigh. It wasn't that he dismissed the idea that these suspect lions weren't the suspect, but he had another suspicion.

"Sire, if I may add another to my suspicions, the hyenas."

Simba narrowed his eyes in concentrated anger. "But the lightening strike . . . How could they have survived that?"

Indeed, before them was a large, charred patch of ground next to Pride Rock. Both looked at it for a long moment, Simba's tail twitching. There was no trace of the hyenas following that gigantic lightning strike that happened before the king's coronation, nor one single piece of bone from his uncle. He had thought the lightning extinguished all traces.

"Sire, I do hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if an asteroid hit the earth, the hyenas would be the sole survivors."

Simba got an idea, should the hyenas be the suspects, and he held his head down for a moment, letting out a sigh. He knew his father would be disappointed in his suggestion.

"Zazu, go find Scar. I will need to use him as live bait. Look in the Kube River lands. Tell him that he had been ordered to speak to me."

Zazu was uncertain. Besides not wanting to be a potential meal, he had thought this plan of Simba's sounded . . . Twisted, for as much as he was no fan of Scar's. Still, he dutifully, gracefully bowed before him.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Simba let out another sigh as the hornbill flew off. He looked down again with a sigh.

"Father, forgive me. But I must stop those poachers before they decimate the lands again."

A cold breeze sent a chill down his spine; Mufasa had indicated he did not approve.

"Do as you feel is right in your heart, Simba. He is still my little brother and . . . I want him protected."

It was starting to sink into the king. It was Mufasa's spirit that sent down the lightening. Perhaps some hyenas perished, but the force of it gave his uncle time to limp off to lick his wounds. Perhaps it also gave Taka's brain a shock, given how he saw him behaving.

"Yes, father. "

Some time had passed and indeed the bird returned with Taka in hungry pursuit. Now and then he would reach up and take a swipe at Zazu, oblivious to how close he was getting to his nephew. That was, until the cold tone of his voice made Taka recoil.

"Leave him, Scar."

Taka obeyed, and smiling sheepishly, and lowering himself to the ground, he slowly backed away. He was already in enough trouble as it was, between being alive, stealing from the lands and if he ate Zazu then Simba may just want to turn his uncle into a very handsome throw rug indeed.

"Forgive me, nephew, natural instincts kicked on and all - "

Zazu flew back to Simba, who stood as still as an imposing statue.

"Come here, Scar. "

Taka didn't obey this time, and kept backing away. Perhaps unwisely, a little of that sass slipped out. He looked over his shoulder, tail twitching, a smirk upon his face.

"At first you want me to run away and never return, the next you want me to come and have a chat with you -"

Simba's patience was running thin. His voice was a roar when he repeated his order.

"I SAID COME HERE!"

Taka thought at first Simba was confronting him on the impala calf; he had been caught, he thought, and his cowardly side screamed at him to run. And run, he did, for a very short distance before he felt Simba's weight upon him, flipping him into his back and holding him down with his weight pressed against him. He tried in vain to get away, but Simba held onto him all the tighter

"If-if-if it's the impala, I'm s-s-sorry, it was for my mate and I - "

Taka grinned nervously as he looked up for any change in Simba's expression. There was none. He stopped struggling and sheathed his claws, his paws tucked up to his scarred chest to show the other lion that he meant his following words.

"I-I surrender . . . "

Although he didn't attack him in such a vulnerable position, Simba remained cold as stone and his voice was colder than the snows of Kilimanjaro.

"I need to use you to attract the hyenas. It's you they want and you will lead me to them You will do exactly as I order - "

These words sent Taka's heart racing. He remained on his back even when Simba let him go, shaking, near frozen in terror. Flashbacks of that night were replayed on his mind like a horror movie on loop, replaying the same horrid scenes over and over.

"Y-you h-h-have me, S-s-Shenzi, B-Banzai - " Taka stammered out the names of Ed and the other hyenas, whose names didn't ring a bell to the king. It was if Simba himself wasn't there, his image replaced with that of that hyena trio, that he was lying so submissively to.

Simba stood over Taka and spoke lowly, a paw held firmly against his cheek so Taka couldn't look away from his stern expression. It only frightened him further.

"I will not harm you, unless you harm me, my family, or anyone in the pride. Do I make myself clear?"

There were tears - genuine tears, genuine terror in Taka's emerald green eyes. He shut his eyes tight, unable to look Simba in the eye.

"Y-yes . . . "

After all that he has done to him, there was something so disturbing to see his uncle fall into such a mental breakdown. He was being genuine, but he's wondered even how much of a use he'd be to him now. Still, he leaned down with a cold glare.

"Good."


	11. The Lightning, the Fire

**The Lightning, the Fire**

by Roaming Tigress

"There was lightning, fire, teeth, biting, hyenas - " Taka was slipping into an episode, painful, terrifying.

Simba had no idea on how to handle these episodes, for as much as they disturbed him. They made him irrational somehow; there was little chance of some sort of intelligent reasoning when he was like this. He bared his teeth and was ready to give his uncle a swift smack across the face. Maybe it would snap him out of it.

"Snap out of it!"

Taka didnt snap out of it. He just whimpered, his breath shaking and rapid, and let out a cry when he felt the contact hitting him square against his muzzle.

"S-sorry, brother sorry . . . The hyenas keep coming, the fire, the lightning, the teeth, the biting . . . " He pitifully held a paw out at him, and then, claws sheathed, he very lightly pawed at his nephew who stood over him.

Simba sighed, again feeling again ill at ease at witnessing these episodes. Smacking him the face made it all the worse. What Taka needed during these moments was gentleness, patience. But to give his uncle gentleness was foreign, for he felt he didn't deserve it after everything. Still, he wanted to respect his father's wishes.

"I don't know what to do with him . . . " He thought out loud to himself, half to himself, still intending on using him as hyena bait, as he let Taka's paw rest on his shoulder. He felt uneasy about him touching him though after a moment and took this time to give his orders.

"Get up and go over to that tree. I'll watch from up the tree. You get to sleep at night, I'll get sleep at day." Simba's voice was calm, but direct as his uncle got up, nuzzled his head against his in appeasement as he slunk past him to the tree when the gold lion growled at his contact. He thought he picked up the scent of that lone rogue, "Aelurus", as well as the scent of Bakonga and Syann.

"You will be . . . Protected, only because my father wanted me to do so."

Simba got up into the tree in a few awkward bounds, lacking the grace of a leopard getting up in a tree. He found a heavy limb in which to perch himself on that withheld his weight, watching Taka try to settle underneath. The smaller lion pressed himself against the trunk of the tree, terrified.

In the distance, Scar roared with worry. He had last seen Taka head to the waterhole for a drink, and then saw him chase after that hornbill. He looked as if he was having fun and thought little of it, but he had been gone for too long.

Taka's ears perked at the sound of that roar and eagerly roared back.

"Quiet, Scar."

Taka flattened his ears and laid back down. "Calling my mate . . . "

Simba had an idea.

"Keep calling her, the hye - " Not wishing to see another one of those episodes, Simba stopped himself.

"The enemy would recognize your voice."

Taka didn't know why he was going to diverge this information.

"My mate . . . Isn't a she."

Simba wasn't shocked at this. As a cub he felt something was 'different' about his uncle. Still, he couldn't help but throw in a barbed comment.

"I suppose when you have a certain reputation, you run out of options. Let me guess, some big, burly rogue who calls you his kitten?" He added with a laugh.

Normally snarky comments from others elicited snarky comments from Taka. Scar knew this well. Yet he didn't says Simba, he pawed a bit shyly at the ground. He rather liked that nickname, however, maybe he'd suggest it. On the subject of big, burly rogues, he let out a laugh at the idea that Bakonga did have a bit of a crush on him. When he did nuzzle him, Bakonga quite happily returned the gesture.

"Well, no . . . He's a smaller fellow like me. He calls me his pet."

Simba scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I suppose you call him your master."

"No, better, I call him my king."

There was a sense of pride in Taka's voice. Simba rolled his eyes as Taka resumed roaring.

"I figured you would have taken the dominant role. It'd fit with you being a wannabe king and all. "

Taka let out a few more roars before responding. "I can wrap him around my little dewclaw, when I want or bneed something. Otherwise, I am his pet."

Simba shook his head, and thought of throwing in another barb. He heard the other lion's roars come closer.

"And can something without a heart love another?"

Hearing his mate's roaring coming closer made Taka feel more confident, and in a state of bliss, considering his situation. Simba was also well out of striking distance. Out came some sass - and genuine feelings as a side.

"Yes, I hate to break it to you, nephew, but there is a heart there. And maybe I do love the scruffy devil. Someone has to."

Simba just rolled his eyes, but perked his head up when he heard some grasses rustling. He saw another lion slipping into view, and then Taka turned over into his back with look of utter adoration. He growled lowly when he recognized this lion who came over to his uncle as "Aelurus."

"You know, I should revoke your gift for "killing" my uncle, you lying bag of bones. Scar was in on this act all along."

Taka wrapped an paw behind Scar's mane. He let out a laugh.

"That's my Scar, toying with the masses . . . "

Simba was confounded. "If you're Scar, and he's Scar . . . ?"

Scar shot Simba a glare. "We are both Scars. Same back story and all. Something supernatural happened, is the way I can best describe it."

Simba just glared, not sure what to believe.

Scar growled lowly as he nuzzled his mate. "I can smell him on you. Did I catch you during a moment?"

Taka grinned a touch nervously. "No, but I did roll over and show my amazing physique to him."

Jealously flared in his eyes, but he couldn't stay mad for long with Taka for long. Not with that impish look upon his face.

"You rascal!" Scar almost laughed.

"You know it," Taka winked, sneaking out a laugh. "He was a bit too cross to give me a tummy rub, though."

"Well, am I ever so relieved to hear that," Scar spoke in that dry matter that he loved so much, but he was rather curious.

"So, why are you in his presence, hmm?"

Taka looked worried for a moment. "Because . . . I'm working with him to . . . " His voice started to shake.

"Eliminate my n-nightmare."

Scar could see Taka slipping into an episode - the stammer was a dead giveaway- and also felt Simba's watchful glare boring through his skull. He felt like berating Taka at this time for committing treason against Scardom for working with the enemy, but no . . Gentleness was what Taka needed.

As one paw gently kneaded Taka's burned and scarred chest, the other touched his cheek. His voice was a near whisper.

"I will work with him to eliminate you nightmares, my dear sweet pet, my prince."


	12. Treed

**Author's note: Just a wee chapter this time, got this out when I was in BC. Got the right chapter in this time, I apologize for that.**

**Treed**

by Roaming Tigress

Simba ignored the affection between the two lions as his eyes remained on the horizon. Suddenly, they narrowed to slits.

"Keep roaring, Scar, I'll rally the lionesses." Simba jumped out of the tree, as if he had seen something, and left the other lions on their own. Taka let a roar out, but huddled fearfully before Scar, his head tucked underneath his jaw.

"He left us alone so t-t-that . . . T-they'll get us."

Scar reached a paw around, placing it on Taka's chest in an embrace. He felt his heart pounding against his paw. "I won't let them get you. I'll protect you." With that, he let out a ferocious roar, a warning to all in the area.

Still shaking in fear, Taka obeyed Simba's order, and roared, repeatedly, until he felt his embrace become more snug.

"He's using you as live bait . . . " Scar seethed, knowing well of Taka's fragile mental state during his episodes. He didn't trust others to take advantage of him in such a stage.

"See if you can get up the tree. They cannot get you there."

Taka fearfully clung to Scar. His visionary episodes were getting darker, more vivid, at times not knowing if he was in realty or dreaming. "They'll get you, Scar, if you stay on the ground. Stain the ground with your blood and leave nothing else behind."

"Your episodes are getting worse," Scar frowned, noting how dark they were for even his standards but nuzzled his head against his. "I want to bite their heads off - but if it will make you feel better . . . "

Taka suddenly got scared of a noise. He scrambled up the tree, slipping a number of times. His hind legs were stronger now but still not quite as strong as they should be and his mate gave him a boost with his head propping up his hind legs. Once he was up, Scar wisely also made an awkward ascent into the tree. There was not much room between them both, but they had safety.

"Tight contact, just what you like," Scar scoffed, but licked his terrified companion's cheek. "Here we are, though."

Taka smiled sheepishly when he saw the source of the sound was an owl, but he felt so much relief. "Just a bird. I can breathe a bit."

Scar saw the sad and expression on his face. He truly was ashamed of his mental state, he thought, and gave him another lick to the cheek.

"I wish I wasn't such a coward, jumping at everything, having these episodes - "

"You are a survivor, Taka. A lot has happened to you, I such a short time."

Taka lowered his head. "You, as well. But . . . You haven't fallen apart."

"That you can see," Scar sighed, looking away from him as he remembered. "That time I nearly and literally almost bit your head off . . . I saw Mufasa, biting down on my head."

Taka pressed his head against Scar's, in forgiveness. He remembered that Scar never brought the incident up, prior to this night. "I thought I overstepped my boundaries."

"You just wanted to get on my good graces. Probably wanted me to groom you, your head was on my paws. It was like I blacked out. I went right to grooming your mane afterwards as if nothing happened."

Taka remembered all too vividly. He remembered freezing in terror, pleading, possibly wetting himself. It happened so quickly. Mentally he was reliving these moments and Scar saw him slipping back. It showed in a wide, staring expression in his eyes.

"I'm sorry . . . " Scar whispered, licking over Taka's scar.

"I was really surprised you held so much adoration over me after that."

"It's okay . . . " Taka whispered back, with a smile in the corner of his lips. He saw the silver lightening in such a scary incident. "I got the best grooming of my lifetime."

Scar shook his head. He spoke in that deadpan tone. "You got a kick out of it. I'm still getting rid of the taste in my mouth."

Taka let out a light laugh. It was one of his fondest memories of the the first weeks of their relationship. "You were far more disgusting, admit it."

Scar glared at his companion. His voice dripped of sarcasm, which Taka found delicious. He heard his 'purr' when he spoke.

"Of course. Only because the rugged look suits me."

Taka licked Scar's muzzle, cleaning a scratch that he got from getting into the tree. "Such a pity I ruined that rugged look to your mane when I got to it, but it looks so prim and proper now."

"Prim and proper, indeed!" Scar snorted. "It looks positively mangled!"

Taka laughed. "Oh it looks positively dashing! You could be a trendsetter - "

The friendly banter, which had soothed Taka's damaged, fragile soul if even for a moment, wasn't meant to last. Both were startled when they heard crashing through the brush. Taka nearly fell off, clinging tightly onto the limb, causing it to shake. "I'm here, I'm here . . . " Scar purred, he himself feeling rage develop within. It was the hyenas.


	13. Slipping Out of The Shadows

**Slipping out of The Shadows**  
by Roaming Tigress

The hyenas came slipping out of the shadows, saliva dripping in thick ropes hanging from their jaws. This was a pack of fourteen, survivors of both packs that the Scars betrayed.

And they came back with a vengeance.

Taka stared with wide, frightened eyes. Tucking his tail, he cowered and pressed his face into Scar's mane. He couldn't bear to look at them. His fear became the subject of mocking by the hyenas, particularly by the Shenzis.

"Well, well, well, looks like we have a couple of scary cats up a tree!" The smaller with a mop of mane falling between her eyes, jeered.

"I am not scared!" Scar roared, wishing so desperately to have his teeth around her neck, but wisely chose not to confront. If he was to pick off any hyenas, it would be when it was a matter of a one on one confrontation, not when he was outnumbered.

The smaller Shenzi couldn't help but to retort. "Ohhh surrrrre you're not, that's why you're up there like s scared cub!"

The larger laughed wickedly. "I would say they're a pair of lovebirds from the way they were nuzzling each other.

As the hyenas drew closer to the tree, Taka started to cry into his mate's mane in sheer terror. He started stammering terrified nonsense that Scar couldn't understand as full words. With surprising tenderness, he licked away his tears.

The larger Shenzi, the leader of the clan, sneered at Scar she placed her paws on the base of the tree. She ignored his deep growls of warning. She in fact, relished the idea of that tawny-grey lion coming down to face her, convinced he wanted to fight her but being outnumbered kept him out of her grasp.

"Do you tuck him into bed as well? Give him a kiss goodnight? Give him a hug and tell him a bedtime story?"

"Do you still eat beyond your means?"

As Scar and the clan leader snarled at each other, the other Shenzi came around, grinning up at Taka. He was far too gone into his episode to respond to her with anything but more fear.

"I see you have your tail tucked and nowhere to run!"

Taka felt like running. Far far away, nowhere in particular, just as long as Scar was with him. He whispered hastily into his beloved's mane.

"The branch will break and they'll rip apart my flesh and break my bones with their strong jaws."

Scar let out a heavy sigh, leaning his head against his mate's. He ignored the jeers of the hyenas, noting how dark Taka's mind went lately with his episodes. It seemed to him that he couldn't tell the difference between reality and nightmares when he was in this state of mind. If they were to survive, if the coalition was to survive, he would have to remain the voice of reason between the two.

"The branches we are on are very strong. This is a very strong tree, it held Simba who is bigger than either of us."

Still, Taka's fear remained intense, paralyzing. "T-they'll get me here, we're trapped - "

Scar's voice sounded slightly rushed. He doubted the other lions would be back. His heart was starting to beat at a faster race now but he knew he had to remain calm.

"Cats climb trees, hyenas can't."

The blood chilling cry of a hyena nearly caused Taka to lose his footing. There was a small group of hyenas that eagerly caught this and swarmed the base of the tree, saliva flying.

"T-the hyena's second closest relative is the cat - "

Scar's ears pulled back when he saw the hyenas had them tightly surrounded. He bared his teeth defensively at them. Oh, how he wanted to rip into their spotted hides.

"They don't have the same claws." Scar thought he sounded a bit defensive and nuzzled Taka as best as he could. "They can't get up here if they tried. If you stay up here, you'll be safe."

Banzai placed his paws up onto the tree, a maniacal glint evident in his eyes as he glared at the two lions. As with Taka, he had been deeply, mentally affected by the confrontation at pride rock; only instead of being fearful, he had grown feral, angry. He had lost his brother Ed to his former leader, just as the larger Shenzi had lost her companions to Scar. Hence, his hunger for vengeance meant more than a meal to him. He wanted desperately to tear his teeth into that red coat again, to taste the blood and hear his screams of terror and pain.

"You'll have to get down to the ground eventually, and we'll be waiting, 'fraidy cats. Our patience is greater than our hunger."

Taka's heart pounded harder; the hyena was right, they would have to come down from the tree eventually. For a moment he looked away from his companion's mane, to look up at the stars, pleadingly, silently, praying for his brother to pull off another miracle. As with Scar, he was losing hope that the lionesses would show themselves. Surely, the king would want to rid his lands of the vermin that tore up his father's land, but in his current state of mind, he thought this was some sort of punishment.

"If I make a run for it, they'll go after me and leave you be," Taka whispered, in a haunting tone, his legs shaking. "They'll never stop pursuing us."

It sounded so desperate. So defeated. So . . .

Scar wasn't going to have any of it.

"I won't let you go!" Scar snarled, the tone making his companion shrink down onto the branch but he continued with it. "If you make one move down there, I will grab hold of you by the scruff of the neck and personally yank you back up here."

"Better do what he says!" Banzai sneered up at his former boss.

Taka became very quiet, and again blocked any view of the hyenas again with pressing his face into his companion's mane. He felt his mate's heart pounded and whispered an apology, tightly shutting his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry - scared, so scared . . . "

"I know," Scar whispered, his voice firm but avoiding sounding too harsh as to try to settle him. "I know you are, but . . . You were talking about throwing yourselves to them."

Taka insisted, fearfully. "To let you escape - "

Scar firmly held his ground. In a strange sort of way, it was oddly heroic, for someone who was so terrified of his 'nightmares.' "I won't escape without you."

Taka fell silent for a long while, pressing his forehead into his mane once more. A tiny smile present in the corner of his lips. "It . . . Sounded a bit heroic though, didn't it?"

"Foolhardy!" Scar scoffed, but 'purred', both to comfort himself and Taka as well. "But in a strange sort of way, yes. And you are very scared right now but . . . Brave."

Brave wasn't a word many would use for Taka. His heart leapt with every beat, each time he heard the hyenas' insults. Even the sounds they made as they waited around the tree made him cling tighter to the tree. He did not think any part of that nor running away was brave.

"Brave?"

Scar nodded. With Taka's episodes there was madness for sure; contradictions. "Very much so. To jump from this tree, to have your nightmares at your heels as you tear across the ground, I would say is very brave." He paused.

"But don't try it." He grabbed him by the scruff between his jaws, just in case, just to reinforce.

Taka shrank back, at both being grabbed by the scruff of his neck and the visual of him running as best as he can, the hyenas snapping at his heels. It was all too visual.

"Running away isn't bravery, it's cowardice."

Scar frowned. He didn't look at it in that way. A mad idea, yes, but brave, yes. "You were going to lead them away from me, in spite of your paralyzing fear . . . For me." He paused, unexpectedly feeling himself choked up by this but true to his nature, he fought it.

"Nobody had ever looked out for me like that."

"Then run, Scar, show us how 'brave' you are, lead the chase!" The larger of the clan leaders ordered, as Banzai stood near her, foaming at the mouth, his eyes widened with a maddened expression upon his face.

A wicket grin appeared across his face.

"I might even give you a running start . . . For a yard."

Perhaps, though, there would not be any need for a running start, for another set of glowing, glaring eyes started to slip. The eyes were yellow in colour, higher off the ground than that of the hyenas.

It was the lionesses.


End file.
